Corporate Kissing
by Lily Fierce
Summary: she's successful, beautiful and independent… but when Jace Herondale enters her life, everything she took for granted might be taken from her hands by the gorgeous man she's pretty sure she's falling for. So let the games begin.
1. Weddings and Headaches

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>I've had this idea for some time now and it was really beginning to bother me. So I figured I'd write it and put myself out of my misery. I absolutely love this story and if I get enough reviews I'll keep it going, and I think it will probably get pretty lengthy since when I start writing I just can't seem to stop.<p>

I have lots of ideas that i know you'll all love so review cause i really wanna keep writing it. anyway this story is all human, alternate universe and a tiny bit out of character.

**oh and I love fluff... so there will definately be ALOT OF IT. There won't be lemons 'cause I don't write those** but it will get pretty hot and non-kid-friendly.

Ps. The disclaimer is from ddpjclaf's stories. I got it from there because, well I stink at disclaimers, but I absolutely hate anything having to do with any sort of plagiarism and I wanted to make sure that I give credit where credit is due.

There you have it, so enough chit chat and onto the story;)

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><p><strong>1. Weddings and Headaches<strong>

Clary ran her fingers over the tape holding the bouquet of flowers together as she walked down the aisle. Oohs and ahhhs ran through the large church as her family and friends whispered, not so discretely, about how much she'd grown and how pretty she'd gotten, some of her older more disgustingly gross cousins even had the nerve to call her _hot, _and they were like 15. She winced slightly and continued down the aisle stepping to the left of the stage and joining her older sister, Aline. In the center of the church, by the priest, stood her sister's fiancé dressed elegantly in a black tux and white button down.

Isabelle was marrying her high school sweet heart, Simon, and Clary would have been lying if she said she wasn't more than a little jealous. She always dreamt of romance, of a prince charming that would sweep her off her feet and kiss her until she couldn't breathe or remember her own name. A man that would hold her closely, but gently, and look at her as if he had never seen anything more beautiful. But this was New York not Disney.

_STOP! _She scolded herself for having such stupid thoughts. She didn't need a man to complete her. Those were the thoughts of weak women, Clary was strong, independent and… _single. _Ugh… there she went again. What the hell was with her lately. She was successful and, in truth, in her line of work, she had no time for a relationship. After all, she had just been promoted to CEO of the family corporation after just 2 years of working there. It was unheard of and she was only 20 not to mention she would soon be taking over after her father retired. But in the meantime she was just training and learning beside him.

She knew this and so did her family, which was, in part, why they never lectured her about not having a boyfriend. But she had a feeling that would soon change now that Izzy was married and Aline had been dating Sebastian, a business man who was nearly richer than Oprah, for about 2 years. Isabelle was the eldest of the 3 sisters at 26, then came Aline who was just 22 and Clary was the youngest at 20, well almost. She was the family genius and the favorite child as her sisters put it.

After the flower girl and the ring bearer walked down the aisle, the well known beat that played at every wedding began, announcing that the bride would be stepping into the church.

Everyone's heads turned toward the large double doors at the far end of the church as they opened revealing Isabelle, looking as beautiful as ever, with her arm wound around their father's and a wide smile on her lips.

They began down the aisle and Clary could not help smiling as both her and Aline began to cry. It was cliché and she knew this but it was a strange feeling watching the girl you played Barbie dolls and pretend with walk down the church aisle about to be _married._

Her father and Isabelle finally arrived at the front and he gently handed her hand to Simon, who was now smiling from ear to ear. They both faced forward as Isabelle looked at her soon-to-be husband with a loving expression and a twinkle in her eyes while he looked at her in the same way. All in all, vows were recited and I do's were said when everyone moved over to the reception.

Isabelle entered the room no longer wearing her big, poufy, overly exaggerated, white dress but a slim silky purple gown that reached the floor, and while the color was much like Clary and Aline's own dresses the length and tightness were in two completely different hemispheres. Where Isabelle's dress was floor length and lightly flowed over her body theirs was thigh length and immensely tight hugging every curve, even the ones that weren't there.

Isabelle was a designer and wrote for the best fashion magazine in new York so her designing skills were amazing and with the hopes of finding "a fine piece of man-candy" for Clary , as her sisters put it, the day had been dedicated 3 fourths to making Isabelle stunning and 1 fourth to making Clary look absolutely perfect.

From her makeup to her hair and dress, her outfit was flawless and she had caught the attention of several of her father's coworkers whose eyes had raked over her body as she passed making her want to throw a chair or something sharp at their ugly faces for looking at her like she was a piece of meat ._God…._ these were probably the men that her family had in mind for her, but she'd be damned if she ever let any of those apes anywhere near her.

Her mind wandered as a million thoughts zapped through her brain and being daydreaming as she was, barely noticed where she was walking. Running strait into a hard flat male chest causing him to drop the small plastic plate he held and her to stumble back.

"Oh I'm so… I mean I didn't mean to…." She stammered but as she looked up at the man she'd run into her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

He was absolutely-jawdroppingly- gorgeous. He had blonde hair that hung to his temples, golden eyes that put the sun to shame and a build that, even under the tux, she could tell was utterly delicious.

He looked at her too. Obviously noticing her bright red hair, big green eyes and tight short dress that exposed more than it covered. And then…. Oh, there it was, the thing that every male did when they saw her walk by. His eyes raked over her body much like the other men she had only moments before glared at but now it didn't bother her. Nope, she was pretty sure that the butterflies having their own party in her stomach meant that she liked it… yup, she definitely liked it.

"I'm so sorry for running into you, I guess I just wasn't looking at where I was walking" he said apologetically.

"No it was my fault… I was distracted" she countered and he just smirked at her.

"Well then I guess we can both take the blame for this one."

"I guess so" she smiled back before he held his hand out for her to shake.

"Jace… Jace Herondale"

Taking his hand in hers, Clary shook it lightly " Clary Fray, pleased to meet you Jace."

"Pleased to meet you indeed Clary" he said and the sound of her name on his lips sent shocks through her body.

However, she was quickly pulled out of her dream world when Aline rudely interrupted, running towards her and yanking on her arm "Clary hurry we have to take the family pictures with Isabelle before the photographer has to…." She stopped abruptly noticing Jace standing two feet infront of her. "oh… hi , sorry to interrupt but I have to take Clary away."

"That's fine, I was just apologizing for nearly trampling her earlier."

"And I was just saying how sorry I was for spilling his food on his shoes" Clary added with a smile at Jace.

Overly impatient Aline, tugged at her arm once more and with an apology she swept Clary away towards the front of the ball room where the photographer stood with an expensive looking camera snapping pictures of family and friends as they stepped up next to Isabelle and Simon.

Looking towards the back she chanced one more glance at the gorgeous guy who had so effectively captured her eye before focusing her attention back to the task at hand… surviving the extensive picture taking that was about to take place.

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><p>After over 100 pictures were taken of Isabelle and Simon with just about every family member at the wedding and Isabelle had made sure that all the pictures were to her liking Clary was finally freed. However, said freedom did not last as long as she had hoped when she was pulled aside by her obnoxious aunt Milda.<p>

Aunt Milda wasn't a bad person and had in fact cared for Clary and her sisters when her parents were busy traveling or at a meeting in the corporation offices, but sweet Milda had one small problem. She lived to remind Clary that young women needed to be married or at her age should at least have a boyfriend and on every occasion Clary always had some sort of excuse. Be it school, work or simply that she was busy and had no time for a "relationship." And while this excuse had worked before her aunt was just not buying it today.

"Clary dear, you look absolutely stunning tonight" she began with a sweet tone "that boyfriend of yours must be completely thrilled to have you."

Now aunt Milda _knew _that Clary was not in any relationship, Clary didn't even have a date that night, but she just loved to test Clary's patience. To see how far she'd go before she cracked.

"No aunt I don't have a boyfriend, you know that." Clary was trying really hard to keep her voice leveled.

"Oh my, that is simply unacceptable, you do know that now that Isabelle is married and it is just a matter of time before Aline is engaged to that lovely Sebastian fellow, you should be keeping an eye on finding yourself a future husband"

Oh god, there it was, she'd said it, the h-word that Clary had no interest in at the moment. Men wanted to control you, to tell you what to do and where to go and she just didn't need that right now, or want it for that matter.

"Aunt I'm busy and I have no time for a relationship" Clary figured she'd try this route first. Work usually got this little issue covered "Besides, I just got a promotion and I'm going to be taking over after daddy retires."

"Oh but honey… that should never stop you" she insisted "work isn't an excuse."

"But aunt right now I'm just trying to focus on my career"

"Dear if I were you I'd be careful with your priorities. We wouldn't want to end up 40 and single now would we?"

Oh hell no she did not just go there! Clary's jaw almost dropped… how could she say that? Clary was only 20 after all. She still had time to date and have a boyfriend… right?

Before she had a chance to answer with a rude retort that was sure to get her a long speech from her father on respecting your elders she felt a strong hand on her arm that was most obviously male.

She looked to her side and there stood the guy she had met moments earlier "sorry to interrupt, but can I have a dance" he turned to Clary, who was trying to control the tingles creeping up her spine from his touch.

"Sure" she said peeking at the expression on her aunts face and letting Jace take her away to the dance floor where couples waltzed to the slow music and men whispered sweet words into their partner's ear.

He gently pulled her towards him as his arms wrapped around her waist and hers went around his neck. He placed his lips at her ear his breath mingling with her hair and it's warmth spreading over the sensitive skin just below her ear.

"Your aunt doesn't seem like a very nice person." He whispered slight traces of humor in his voice.

She laughed "You have no idea." pulling back Clary looked him in the eyes "thank you"

"For what?"

"For saving me from my evil aunt… *your timing was impeccable."

He chuckled and pulled her closer to him, his voice low and oh so seductive "It was my pleasure."

He steered her through the dance floor flawlessly as their perfect movements mingled and she felt her knees weaken as heat spread from every point his fingers touched.

"**I'm glad to see my clumsiness hasn't affected your dancing" she finally spoke, her voice slightly breathy "I'm sorry I nearly ran you over."

Jace smirked, the smirk she had noticed him giving several other girls that evening and figured he was most likely_ that_ type of guy. "You can run me run me over anytime." He said.

His hand rested on her lower back and he held her gently but close... so close. Her body was flush with his and she liked the feeling coursing through her. The warm shocks of electricity and the way his breath spread over her neck when he'd whisper things like "You're an amazing dancer Clary." or "You look stunning in that dress." To think she had just met him and god did she want him. _But then again,_ she thought, _there would be something seriously wrong with me if I didn't._

He was gorgeous. One wouldn't have to be a genius to notice, she could feel the knot of muscles beneath his dress shirt and he knew how to speak to a girl, that was for sure.

They continued dancing until the music stopped and Jace reluctantly removed his hands from around her waist and Clary loosened the hold she had on his neck stepping back. She twirled her fingers in front of her and dropped her gaze to the floor unsure of what to do next.

"It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance Clary and I hope we meet again." He spoke first as he held his hand out for her to shake.

"Yeah, me too."

She shook his hand and they parted ways, but not without a backwards glance at his deliciously sculpted body which he noticed and winked. Clary couldn't stop the flush that spread across her cheeks or the heat that spread across her body.

Boy, she was in serious need of some action. Brushing off the feelings Jace had caused, she went to join her family, none the less, a smile remained glued to her face for the rest of the night and she knew that they would indeed meet again.

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><p><strong>Read and Review<strong>... if i can get just one review i'll continue the story and trust me it's just getting started (wink wink)

*line taken from "_**The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement**_ (2004)" I do not own this . property of _respective owners._

**line taken from "_**The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement**_(2004)" I do not own this. property of _respective owners._


	2. Surprise Surprise

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p><strong>You guys are AMAZING! I really appreciate all your reviews and I'm so relieved that you liked this story. Therefore I will indeed be continuing it.<strong>

**Anyway, here is chapter 2. You guys should thank me I totally did two chapters in two days. The next chapter will be out very very soon, and even sooner if you all inundate me with your amazing reviews :)**

**Oh and did I say thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews already? Well if I didn't… thank you!**

**So, I'll stop speaking now and let you read.**

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><p><strong>2. Surprise Surprise<strong>

Clary woke up the morning after the wedding thanking god and all the angels in heaven that she had stuck to her predisposed goal to steer away from the bar and remain sober for the night.

She had woken up early and had started on her way to fetch herself a steaming cup of coffee when she ran into Aline with a very loud _oomph. _

"Jesus Aline!" she said in hushed tones, trying to avoid waking her father and mother who were most likely still asleep, and even though the manor house was plenty big, noise traveled fast "watch where you're going. You nearly trampled me."

Aline held a hand out and raised the other to her head signaling Clary to stop talking as her face twisted into a painful expression. "Clary please don't scream at me. I think my head is gonna burst"

Clary giggled realizing then that Aline had a hangover, and a pretty bad one too judging by the way she winced every time Clary so much as breathed too loudly.

"I told you not to drink too much but you just don't listen do you?" she scolded, trying to keep her voice low not only to avoid waking her parents this time but also in consideration of Aline's _situation_.

"Shhhhhhh" Aline held a finger to her lips as Clary giggled once more grabbing her hand and dragging her to the kitchen.

Once there Clary whipped up a small concoction Isabelle had come up with a few days after her 21st birthday. Isabelle had gotten such a bad hangover she had had to lock herself in the bathroom because the sounds of traffic outside would make her head feel like it was being pounded by a sledge hammer.

From that day on the girls weren't as weary of hangovers thanks to Isabelle's brilliantness.

Now bear in mind, the girl could not cook to save her life and was, as a matter of fact, expressly forbidden to cook since a small accident they'd had a few years back.

Isabelle had made spaghetti one evening while aunt Milda was watching over the girls, and let's just say poor Milda effectively clogged two of the manor's bathrooms and they nearly had to evacuate the house.

Clary pushed the thought aside handing the small teacup to Aline with the strange orange liquid inside. Then headed over to the coffee maker to get started on her long awaited cup of coffee.

Clary noticed Aline leaning on the counter obviously feeling much better.

"So" Aline began, stretching the O.

"So what?" Clary mimicked her tone of voice.

"What was up with you and that good-looking guy last night?" Aline asked in a tone that implied that Clary was stupid and should have been expecting this question at some point.

"Nothing was _up_. We just danced for a bit."

"A bit Clary, really? More like all night!"

She was right; they had danced together for almost half the night but for some strange reason it hadn't seemed like enough time to Clary. She had wanted more.

"It was not all night Aline," Clary tried to defend herself "don't be so exaggerated."

"Yeesh, defensive much." Aline scoffed.

"I'm not _defensive, _I'd just rather not have dad asking questions about what his name is, who his parents are and if he got tested for aids or not."

"Fine, whatever. I won't bring it up again. My lips are sealed" Aline said bringing her fingers to her lips and acting as if she were shutting a lock and disposing of the key.

"Thank you" Clary turned away from Aline and got back to pouring her coffee in a mug, shutting off the coffee maker and cleaning her mess.

"Dad said you have a meeting today, with some people from Switzerland." Aline started "I hear Swiss men are sexy as hell. Not to mention amazing in bed."

Aline _would_ say something like that "No Aline, they're not _Swiss _they just run the corporation offices located there. Or well, ran, I think they're moving here now. Dad seemed kinda freaked last time I spoke with him about the issue."

"Really?" she asked "I wonder what could be worrying him so much. Dad never worries. Or at least doesn't reveal that he's worried."

"I don't know," Clary's voice had a bit of an edge to it "but I do know that the meeting isn't only with them, it's also with every other executive at the corporation."

"Whoa" Aline's face looked a lot like she was sure hers did. "Clary that doesn't sound too good to me."

"Yeah, me either" she said, dumping her empty mug in the sink and turning back to face Aline "I have to go get ready for what I'm sure will be the highlight of my morning."

"Well good luck" she said as Clary hurried off to shower and get dressed.

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><p>After taking a very quick bath, adjusting her hair, fixing her makeup and doing her best to look presentable for her coworkers Clary headed out to the busy streets of New York. She noticed that her father's car was no longer in the drive way meaning that he had already headed out.<p>

On the way to work her mind was flooded with so many thoughts and so many what ifs. What if they were getting together to fire her, what if her father had decided he didn't want her as CEO anymore and had found someone more adequately prepared for the job. Or worse, she thought, what if the company was shutting down and that was why her father had seemed so panicked earlier in the week when he mentioned it. No, that couldn't be it. She had seen the balance sheet just a few days ago and their profits had risen quite a bit in the last month.

It was ridiculous and she didn't know why this meeting was worrying her so much, because for some reason something just didn't feel right.

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><p>Jace's morning had been quite uneventful. After he'd had a very serious talk with his father and they'd gone over the plan, he had sat down to have a nice cup of coffee.<p>

His father's words still rang in his head. He knew what they were doing and Jace didn't like the idea of sabotaging the girl to get their hands on the million dollar corporation, but he figured you do what you must to succeed. But if that was true then why was this whole ordeal bothering him so much?

Who was he kidding? He knew clear as day why. He had liked dancing with her, he liked feeling her in his arms as her small frame molded so perfectly to his body and then he'd spent most of last night remembering that same feeling. He knew that once she discovered what they were up to she would absolutely detest him.

But that was the plan. Exploit the rules, which were never really followed regardless, reminding everyone that it was time for Luke to retire and Clary to take hold of the corporation. But that was where things got complicated. Clary couldn't take over the corporation because she was unmarried and Graymark incorporated was completely family driven, therefore, she wouldn't be allowed by the rules that had been set for the last 100 years. In turn they wouldn't leave the company in the air and somebody had to take over, which was why he was there.

His father and him ran the corporation offices in Switzerland which made him next to take control since much like , his father, also had a family and had not been working nearly as long in the business as Luke, who had started when he was just in college.

This would leave Clary with two choices: 1. She could have an arranged marriage or 2. She could forfeit the company to his father and himself leaving them with all their millions.

He knew Clary would most definitely not choose the latter, she seemed like the stubborn type, she would certainly agree to an arranged marriage and she wouldn't have a hard time getting a proposal either. However, she wouldn't be in love and then he knew what he had to do.

Charm her.

It would be easy. She was definitely attracted to him. He could tell by the flush that spread across her cheeks when he whispered into her ear and the goose bumps that rose on her skin when he ran his hands over the soft flesh on her arms.

She wouldn't be able to marry whomever if she fell for him.

Now he only hoped that he didn't fall for her too. No, he wouldn't, he couldn't, he'd had several girls following him like lovesick puppies before and he'd never felt anything for them. He'd never been monogamous. It was as simple as that, and he had the phone numbers of ten different girls sitting on his night stand to prove it. It was Funny how he wasn't planning on calling any of them.

Getting up from his seat, he dropped his mug in the sink for the maid to clean, and grabbing his jacket quickly ran out the door to his car.

No use in postponing the inevitable kick in the ass he was gonna get for totally flirting with Clary and now threatening to take away the one thing her family had worked so hard for all these years.

Yeah, he was definitely going to get his ass kicked.

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><p>The drive to the offices seemed like a blur to Clary. She barely noticed the honks of annoyed drivers or several of the very creative words she was getting when she nearly killed three pedestrians. Her mind was so flooded with all the worries she had been avoiding for the last few days none of those things even managed to break through her haze.<p>

After finally making it to work in one piece, Clary parked in her designated parking spot just next to her father's car on her left and a sparkly BMW she hadn't noticed before parked to the right. _Hmmm_ she thought _someone must have gotten a new car_.

Brushing off the thought she headed to the huge glass covered skyscraper doing her best to stop the clamminess starting on her hands and the ever increasing pounding of her heart. Her perfect façade remained unwavering to match her perfect appearance.

The large glass doors opened to reveal a lavishly decorated lobby with several leather chairs and a large stainless steel reception desk situated to the right. Waving to Kaelie, the receptionist, purely for etiquette reasons, since Clary couldn't tolerate seeing her fake face that had probably cost her more than her expensive miniskirt and her fake boobs put together. She would say it wasn't personnel, but then she'd be lying. The girl was a bitch of epic proportions that did nothing but get on Clary's nerves.

"Hello Kaelie" Clary wasn't even trying to hide the bored sarcastic edge of her voice.

"Hello " Kaelie's voice had about the same edge except that she somehow managed to inject enough venom into that single word to poison an elephant.

Ignoring Kaelie's eye roll and rude retort, Clary headed straight to the elevator immerging herself in the tedious monotony of elevator music. Thankfully though, the elevator arrived to the fortieth floor faster than she would have expected.

Once again, an elaborate lobby with a large reception desk awaited her. Passing by the desk she started on her way to the conference room where she was sure they were all gathered waiting for her. She passed the copy room that was technically only there for decoration since the copy machine, fax machine and just about every other machine in that cursed room was always broken and noticed a blond head leaning over the keypad muttering a string of curses. A pang of something she didn't recognize shot through her at the sight of that blonde hair. Pushing the thought away she giggled to herself and was about to go in to help the poor guy when a door a few feet ahead opened revealing the dark hair, and large stubbly body of one of her father's closest friends, Hodge Starkweather.

"Clary, there you are." his voice sounded relieved and remembering her meeting, Clary all but forgot about her earlier thoughts of helping the blonde man just a few feet away. "Come in, we were waiting for you to begin the meeting"

"Oh… hello Hodge. Sorry for taking so long, traffic was awful today." She said entering the cavernous space with a long meeting type table and about twenty chairs surrounding it. By each chair stood one of the many leaders at the corporation with their suits and ties or tight pencil skirts and professional blouses.

Her heart beat faster but she remained stoic as she waved to Maryse and Robert Lightwood, another one of her father's business partners. Walking up to her seat she sat in the one just to the right of her father, who was seated at the head of the table. After she sat, everyone else followed suit. She looked to her father and smiled as he nodded and returned the gesture.

Focusing her attention to the papers she held she barely heard the heavy doors open and shut with a thump. Clary removed her gaze from the sheets and looked at the two men entering the room.

Both had identical blonde hair although one, the older looking man, had small traces of gray shining through the gold. The other however caused Clary to nearly have a stroke, yes he was blonde and his golden eyes rang a very loud, insistent and annoying bell in her head. Those eyes, the muscles, that face and body. Oh angels in heaven, she knew that devilish smirk!

It was him.

Her mouth fell open and her eyes grew wide. He caught the expression before she could reorganize her face into her usual flawless façade and winked just like he had the night before. She narrowed her eyes and stood as her father did.

"Hello, " Clary's father began in the most official sounding tone she was pretty sure he had "this is my daughter, Clarissa. Clarissa," he said signaling Clary "these are the ones in charge of directing at our second largest worldwide offices in Switzerland."

Her father held his hand as if to indicate that Clary should approach the men. So she took two steps forward and stood before the elder looking man who seemed about her father's age.

She held her hand out to him and with as pleasant a smile as she could conjure in this type of… _situation_, shook his hand.

Then moving on to the cause her heart was about to leap out of her chest and the reason she had to discretely wipe her hand on her tight pencil skirt to remove the sweat gathering on her palms, she did about the same procedure with Jace. Held out her hand and shook his, finally moving away to sit on the chair she had previously occupied. Jace grabbed the chair just next to hers as his father took the one infront.

Her father addressed the people gathered first "As you all know" he began "we are having some visitors from our next offices in Switzerland. ," he directed his gaze to the man on his left indicating that he should speak "you have something you would like to tell us."

Clary could feel Jace's eyes on the back of her head. Then she felt his hand brush by the skin on her thigh eliciting goose bumps and a tiny gasp from Clary. She refused to turn around, doing her best to hide the flush spreading across her chest and pooling in her cheeks.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do" he stood, walking to the front of the room and pointing to the large smart board attached to the wall as it turned on and the cover page of the corporation rules appeared on the screen.

Clary had a bad feeling already and the man had barely started speaking

"As you all know this corporation has been family driven for the last one hundred years and we've been very wisely led for the last 39 years and six months by and his lovely family. And if I may add that the required period before retirement is forty years" he continued, and the image on the board changed to the article stating the retirement age.

A chill raced up Clary's spine. Oh god, she knew where they were headed with this and she could tell by the look on her father's face that he did too.

"Furthermore," he continued speaking although Clary wanted nothing more than to scream at him to stop "we are also aware that Clarissa is next to take over the corporation. But she cannot because she is unmarried." The next image was the article stating the very rule he was speaking of.

Clary's heart stopped altogether this time.

"Therefore, it has come to my attention, that if Clarissa will be next in line to guide our very treasured company, then she must be wed in the next six months or the following family will be taking charge." Next on the screen was the very article that stated _this_ fact.

No. This couldn't be happening. They were asking her to have an arranged marriage. That was it right? It was either that or hand her family's sacrifice and determination to some… some… asshat!

"Lucky for us all though, we, my family and myself, are next to take over."

Jace's hand was now placed on her thigh his fingers drawing small circles on her leg. Flush or no flush, Clary turned around meeting his golden eyes in the dark room. He smirked once more and squeezed her thigh gently. Clary scowled, effectively getting the message across that if he didn't want to lose some very sacred male parts he'd better remove his hand, and he did.

Clary now knew what she had to do.

"No!" Clary's voice rang throughout the large room causing all heads to turn and face her. "I'll get married" she said, her voice resigned "I'll do what I must to keep the company."

"Very well then," he pointed to the board once more. It now showed an article that Clary recognized since she'd read it several times before. "as stated in this article, Clarissa has the remainder of her father's term to marry, if she is not wed in this period of time, the leaders of the next biggest corporate offices will take over the corporation itself."

She nodded, unsure of what else she could do. She definitely couldn't do what she wanted, which was somewhere along the lines of screaming, crying or throwing a brick at this man's face.

And then, she realized something else. Jace had known all along who she was and he'd been in on the plan. He flirted with her, danced with her and he knew that he would be taking the one thing that mattered most to her family.

The lights flicked back on. No one bothered speaking, there was no purpose to speaking. Those were the rules and nobody could change them.

As they stood from their seats, her father motioned for her to shake hands one more time with both Jace and his father.

Jace had now left the seat beside her and stood next to his father. She had never wanted to jump and murder someone all at the same time. But obviously, as the saying goes, there's a first time for everything.

She shook hands with the elder man, not bothering to fake a smile, and moved to stand before Jace. He held his hand out to her, a smug grin on his face and she wanted nothing more than to kiss him and then bury his very sexy face and smug smirk in the dirt.

Just to her right Clary couldn't help but notice a small cart with a nice ice cold pitcher of pink lemonade. It was as if fate was tempting her and had purposefully placed that pitcher there just for her. She didn't bother with thinking. Grabbing the handle she smiled for a split second and then dumped the pitcher's contents on Jace, effectively removing his smirk.

Grabbing her bag from her seat, she made it a point to stomp out the door, leaving a very stunned, pink lemonade soaked Jace behind.

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><p>Hope you liked it... now please review, they really just make me wanna write;)<p>

Oh and nobody panic, you will be getting your fair share of clace action soon enough but i wanna make sure they actually know each other before they go declaring their undying love 3

And yes, Jace is an ass, but i mean, would we want him any other way?


	3. Seduction Act

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>Here's chapter 3. I, personally, absolutely love this one and I really hope you guys do too<p>

Anyway, a billion thank you's to everyone who commented, favorited and added my story to their alerts. I appreciate it sooooo much and you guys are amazing.

Am I boring you… oops, well enough of me and onto what you really came here for. LoL, remember to leave me a nice little review

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><p><strong> 3. Seduction Act<strong>

When Clary had poured that pitcher of lemonade on Jace's head, she hadn't been thinking this far ahead. At the moment all she'd wanted was to put him in his place. Which was why she now sat in her father's office staring at a small stain on the wall just to the right of his head while being profusely questioned as to why she would ever disrespect a coworker in such a vulgar manner.

To be truthful, she hadn't even been listening thus far and had blocked her father out the moment he had started blathering on and on about work place etiquette. The funniest thing though, was that he wanted her to apologize.

Ha! As if she would _ever _utter that word in Jace's presence, they would have to string to her up from her toes and even then she doubted that she'd say it.

"Clary? Clary did you hear a word I just said?" a small part of what her father was speaking finally managed to break through her anger induced haze.

"Huh?" she focused her eyes on his, catching the annoyed expression on his face before he smoothed it over.

Luke sighed and asked as softly as he could "Clary why did you do it? What could have possessed you to spill a freezing pitcher of juice on the son of the man who is trying to take away everything our family has worked for?" Clary opened her mouth as if to speak but her father quickly began once more "You know we're supposed to make peace with them not pummel them to death, but you obviously don't seem to understand that."

He looked at her expectantly "The night of Izzy's wedding I met him." She began, not daring to meet her father's eyes and just looking down at her hands as she spoke "He flirted and, well, I flirted and then we danced for a bit… ok, well, all night." she corrected herself, her voice seeping with embarrassment "He seemed so sweet. Yet all along he never once told me who he was or what his intentions were or even that he knew who I was, which he totally did," she added, holding up her index finger as if to tell her father not to speak after chancing a glance and figuring that he would ask something to that extent.

He lowered his head then looked back up at Clary, a new expression on his face, which if Clary wasn't mistaken, looked a lot like pride. "Your mother and I have always told you to stand up for yourself and to do what you think is right, which is exactly why as your superior I have to say that there are better ways to handle a situation such as this. However, as your father, I say good job. I am so proud of you and I sincerely think that you went too easy on him."

Clary giggled, relived to hear her father say those words as she got up and he enveloped her in a hug, but one more issue remained.

"Dad I just can't believe I have to get married." She said into her father's chest. "I won't let them take away the corporation, but this is just not what I wanted dad." Her voice lowered to a whisper and she couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her face "It's not how I ever thought it would happen."

"I know Clare. I know" her father's voice was sad and resigned but she knew without a doubt that if this was what she had to do, she would do it.

For her family, for her father and for the company, she would do it.

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Jace stood in the men's room trying to dry off the sticky liquid rolling down his neck. He still couldn't believe that she'd dumped the entire thing on him.

Well in a sense it wasn't as bad as what he'd expected. Although he didn't know what he was expecting but he guessed it was somewhere along the lines of a first-class kick in his, uh- manhood. Or maybe a punch to the face, but her revenge was pretty good too judging by the fact that she'd ruined his very expensive Armani suit and he still had some very annoying un-melted pieces of ice digging into his back.

He hated doing this. God, he really didn't _want _to be doing this, but what choice did he have? His father couldn't take over the company without him and he wouldn't abandon his family to protect some girl he barely knew.

No. there was no arguing the fact that he was caught up now.

The door to the restroom slipped open bringing him out of his train of thought as his father stepped in holding out a suit carrier that most obviously held his salvation inside. Taking it from his father's hands he stepped into the largest stall.

"That girl is not going to be easy to seduce" he finally spoke, surprising Jace with his comment, he knew that in all technicality that was what they were doing, but hearing it said, especially from his father, seemed to bother him more than he thought it would. "She has way too much… personality for her own good."

Jace thought he rather liked that she had stood up for herself. Damn, who was kidding, it was sexy as hell. "Yeah," he said "tell me about it, since _I'm_ the one covered in lemonade, _not_" he made it a point to emphasize that last word "you."

He heard his father's low chuckle through the stall doors. "So, do you think you can handle her?" he asked.

"Of course I can handle her" he knew that was the response that his father was expecting, but in truth, he didn't know if he _could_ handle her. He was so accustomed to hooking up with hoes and superficial sluts that Clary was going to be a challenge.

"Good, now I expect to see some progress by the end of next week."

"Ok." one word, one syllable and it was all he was gonna get.

Jace heard the door to the bathroom open once more as his father stepped out, then it quickly shut behind him leaving Jace alone as he finished removing the rest of his clothing and wiping the sticky liquid off his skin. Unzipping the bag holding another suit inside, he dressed as fast as he could and stepped out of the stall exiting the men's room all together and walking into the hall.

He walked around for some time mostly looking for his father but instead ran into the one person he least expected to see. Clary.

She was walking down the hall laughing with a guy, who had very tight black pants, a hot pink button up shirt and a black blazer with more sparkles than Jace thought anyone could put on clothes. As if she could sense his presence, she turned in his direction, her smile vanishing almost instantly.

He walked towards her and stood before her and the sparkly man.

"Magnus can we finish talking later?" she asked.

"Sure thing babe." Magnus speared one more glance at Jace before winking at Clary.

"What do you want Jace?" she raised a brow "What, are you stalking me now."

"You wish, and don't even try to deny it."

"In your dreams pretty boy" Clary huffed and looked around impatiently "you didn't answer my question. What do you want?"

"Well I just wanted to let you know that you owe me a new suit." He moved closer to her expecting her to move back but she stood her ground. Jace liked that about her. "and I prefer Armani."

She scowled "two things: one, get out- of my- face." Jace moved away smirking. God he liked her already. "and two, if I ruined your very expensive suit then I did my job right."

Jace laughed, he couldn't help it. He found it funny how she thought she looked intimidating with that look on her face when she really looked cute. "I love a women who can stand her ground. It's exceedingly sexy."

She stepped closer to him and poked him in the chest in what she thought was supposed to hurt "If you think that seduction act of yours is gonna work on me, then you must be immensely confused."

"I wasn't trying to seduce you Clary, but if you think this is seducing, then you haven't seen anything yet."

She shoved him and huffed, stomping down the hall. Jace watched her go laughing to himself. That one was definitely going to be a handful.

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The following two weeks progressed in much the same way. Jace was getting closer and closer to Clary. Little by little her walls were crumbling and although she still harbored quite a bit of hostility it would be gone eventually and then Jace would have her trust.

The engagement was slowly being set up and although Clary didn't know who she would be marrying she would soon, and that didn't leave Jace much time to do what he needed.

He had caught her looking his way several times but she had quickly lowered her eyes as a soft pink flush spread over her cheeks. But truth was, he had been looking at her too, that was what scared him the most.

So now, he was tired and in serious need of a break, he was walking down the hall and didn't know exactly where it was he was headed, he just knew he was in need of some Jace-time and knew exactly where to go to get it.

Grabbing his wallet, Jace took the elevator down to the first floor and quickly left the building headed for the parking lot, immediately finding his silver BMW parked next to a small yellow Porsche. He could hear music coming from inside and noticed a head of red curls sitting in the driver's seat with a sketch pad on her lap.

Jace smirked and walked over to her side of the window, seeing Clary who had taken off her jacket and now sat in just a white tank top that showed off more skin than he was prepared to see.

He swallowed bracing himself and partially… scared? No way was he scared; he was just worried, for his own health and well, the health of, you know, little Jace. He tapped her window and she glared at him with so much hatred before slightly lowering her window just enough for him to hear her speak. A very loud current of music drifted out of the car.

"What the hell do you want Herondale?" she said, speaking over the music, practically having to shout in order to be heard "You've already taken almost everything from me."

"First of all, please lower the damn music before my ear drums start to bleed." He started "Second, I just wanted to apologize for this whole ordeal." Jace figured that if he planned to get on her good side it would probably help to start from here. Besides, he wasn't completely lying, he _was_ sorry.

Clary sighed, relinquishing her anger, and turning to the radio, she lowered the volume so it was only a muted hum in the back ground. "Okay…"

So far so good Jace thought

"Although I don't believe that's why you came here." Clary added.

It _wasn't_ why he was there, but well, change of plans. He would use this opportunity to his advantage. "Well" he coughed " I owed you and I figured you might want to go get some coffee, I know the best place."

She narrowed her eyes "Fine, but we are nowhere near even. I hope you know that."

He chuckled "Yeah, I kinda figured that out by the pitcher of ice cold pink lemonade that you poured over my head." Clary smiled, a small smile, but a smile none the less. "By the way, did you have to pick pink, I would have preferred something brown."

"Good to know." she said, lowering her window the rest of the way, she grabbed her jacket and slipped it on. Jace was mildly upset and slightly relieved now that she had covered up a bit more skin. "Next time I plan on spilling something on you, I'll make sure that the color is to your liking."

"Funny, now are you coming or not?"

Clary nodded pointing to the passenger seat of her car.

"What? There is no way we're going in your car"

"Why? What's wrong with my car?"

Jace laughed and stood back as if to appraise the vehicle "This is such a girl car and I refuse to be seen in it. So come on… we're going in mine and I'm driving."

Turning the car off and pulling the key out of the ignition, Clary opened her car door and stepped out. "Well then, I suppose your paying as well?"

Jace stepped closer to Clary, a sly smirk plastered to his face, and placed his hands on her hips pushing her against the car. Almost immediately, a light blush tinged her cheeks and she positioned her hands on his chest pressing lightly as if she was trying to push him away. Heat from her touch seeped through his clothes and into his skin as he moved his face closer to hers, their noses nearly touching.

"Why of course. I am a gentle man you know." His voice was low and rough and he could already tell he affected her by the way she shivered when the words left his mouth.

He moved away walking in the direction of his car and she followed. Both stepped in and Jace turned to her and smiled. "Ready?"

She raised her brows in question and he winked as he lowered the top of the car and the sun glowed on her skin. They set off as the air whipped through Clary's hair and the largest smile Jace had seen spread over her face. Faces streamed by but the only thing Jace could see was Clary and her smile.

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Jace steered through traffic like a pro, ignoring the honks and smiling even more when he heard them. All the while, Clary's heart was beating faster than a humming bird's wings on cocaine and she couldn't help the laughter that escaped her lips. Jace was a manic driver, steering through traffic in a way that she was pretty sure was illegal but Clary realized she liked it. She had never felt this free. This liberated before. It was like she was flying and nothing stood between her and the sky. Her hair flying behind her and the wind blowing her laughter away along with the sounds of the city and traffic.

All too soon they arrived at the coffee shop and stepping out Jace strode over to Clary's side of the car and opened her door, holding his hand out to help her. She took it with a smile and a wave of very unwarranted tingles shot up her arm at his touch. God, what was wrong with her. He was just a guy like any other, so her hormones could calm down now and stop acting all kooky.

"What'd you think of that?" he asked and this time there was a smile on his lips. Not a smirk or grin for once, but a real smile.

"I think I'm going to buy a convertible for myself. That was so much fun."

"Ha… I knew you would like it." He sounded so sure Clary just had to ask.

"How'd you know?"

"Well it just seemed like you really needed a little something to loosen up. It can't be healthy to be so tense all the time."

She laughed "Yeah, I really did." Then she looked him in the eyes "Thank you."

"Anytime." She stood there feeling trapped in his gaze until he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the shop. "Come on. I wouldn't want your father to think that I kidnapped you for my own sadistic needs." _Not That I'd mind _she thought_ as a matter of fact I think I'd rather like it if he kidnapped me._

_No! stop_. She could not be having these thoughts. For god sakes, she was going to be getting married in a few months to god knows who. She could not, under any circumstances, fall for Jace.

As they stepped into the shop he led her to order. Clary went first as she ordered a vanilla frapuccino and started to hand the girl at the cash register, who was seriously beginning to infuriate her from the very inappropriate looks she was giving Jace, a twenty dollar bill when Jace's hand landed on hers effectively stopping her from giving the lady her money.

"I do recall saying that I was going to pay, so please put that away" he took his wallet out and paid before Clary could even protest.

"I'm a big girl Jace, I can pay for myself you know." The girl at the register was still staring at him and some of the women at the café were making lewd gestures that Clary knew were directed at Jace, but his eyes were on hers the entire time.

His fingers hooked on her jaw pulling her face closer to his, "I am plenty aware of this Clary, but just because you can doesn't mean I'm going to let you."

She smiled and relented as they grabbed their coffees and sat down. They sat there for nearly the entire afternoon just talking and drinking their coffees. It was amazing how comfortable she felt with Jace and how easy talking with him was. There were no awkward moments between them and silence wasn't unnerving. It was peaceful. Being with him was easy in and of itself. All the emotions she had been trying so hard to hold back the past week were coming to the surface and Clary knew if she was going to go through with this engagement thing, she was going to have to get Jace out of her head and her heart and push her emotions aside because if she didn't pay closer attention she might just fall for the man that was causing all her problems in the first place.

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><p>Read and review<p> 


	4. Tricks of Nature

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>Thank you guys so much for all you're reviews and all the other good stuff. You're all AMAZING. So without further ado here is ch 4. I know it took me some time but well here it is, I hope you like it:)<p>

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><p><strong>4. Tricks of Nature<strong>

Kiss...

A trick of nature to stop speech

when words become superfluous.

~Author unknown, quoted by Evan Esar in Esar's Comic Dictionary, 1943

Three weeks. Just three weeks since he had entered her life and Clary just couldn't believe the emotions coursing through her the moment Jace caught her eye.

She now sat in the conference room after being forced to attend a very long tedious meeting. Usually Clary wasn't concerned with such things, she had, after all, grown up in a world of corporations and extensive conferences, but with Jace sitting mere inches away everything was suddenly increasingly difficult. His eyes were glued to hers and Clary was having such a hard time keeping _hers_ focused on the large screen attached to the wall. Her father, Luke, was discussing some new products and selling tactics they planned on commencing in the fall. But god, she just could not manage to keep her eyes or mind on the inane subject being discussed; those were simply too busy focusing on Jace, since the day at the coffee shop he was all her thoughts seemed to concentrate on.

In the meantime, his hand, which everyone assumed rested peacefully on his thigh, was engaged on hers; tracing small circles much like the first time they had been in this conference room together. She reached for it withdrawing it from her leg and he allowed her to, not placing it there again. His eyes however, were a completely different story. Those she couldn't remove. They focused on Clary's and once they did she was stuck with no hope of escaping. _Golden_ she thought _how absolutely delicious_.

_Stop Clary_. She scolded herself for that stupid, stupid thought. She was getting married. To a man she didn't know, couldn't care less about, and most importantly, didn't love. But she was getting married nonetheless and having her mind on Jace's eyes was most definitely not going to make anything easier. So removing her gaze from his, Clary turned her eyes back to the screen, nevertheless her head was still whirling with some much unwarranted thoughts.

Her father had spoken to her earlier in the week about the engagement. She would be marrying a man named Raphael. He was multicultural and would be an "excellent" addition to the company. Whatever, not like it mattered anyway. Clary had spent so many nights crying herself to sleep and wishing beyond hope that things would be different. That maybe, just maybe, she could marry someone she loved. But that was impossible at this point and there was no use in hoping for the unattainable.

Her attention finally went back to what her father was discussing as he finished with the last slide and the lights of the dim room flicked back on. Clary picked up her files and grabbing her bag headed for her office.

She had excessively procrastinated in the past week and papers were beginning to pile up on her desk as files waited on her computer for printing.

With a sigh she headed to the large printer in the side of the room, figuring she needed to start somewhere, and checked for paper.

"Crap." Clary muttered under her breath. The tray was empty, not a sheet of paper in sight and now she'd have to head to the copy room for more.

The only one that held the printing paper was just in front of the conference room and was mostly empty. So she started to the small room and once there checked the storage closet in the corner going through boxes and boxes of flyers, old copies, and scrap paper but finding none with printing paper. Leaning further into the miniature closet, she barely heard the door open and most definitely did not hear someone entering the room.

"Ahem" a voice came from behind her and she burst upright.

Glancing back, Clary caught the golden eyes, blonde hair and signature smirk of none other than Jace. _Of course, why wouldn't it be him?_

"Oh, please don't stop on my account. I was quite enjoying the view." He winked at her.

"Must you always be such an asshat?" Clary tried to put as much annoyance as she could into her voice and narrowed her eyes in hopes of emphasizing her point.

"A what?" his smirk widened. "What the hells an asshat?"

"You know, an asshole, a bastard, a manwhore. Do you understand _those_?"

Jace chuckled and stepped closer to her. "No, asshat's fine. It's very creative actually," He walked closer still forcing her to move back a step. "And has anyone ever told you that men love creative women. That talent comes in handy often."

He was standing so close, somehow managing to back her up against the wall of the small closet.

"You're little act doesn't work on me Jace." _Liar!_ She thought._ You are such a liar_. "So you can move away now and let me leave."

He looked at Clary, obviously noticing the flush in her cheeks and the way her voice wavered as the words whooshed out of her lips in one breath.

"Um hmmm" he hummed into Clary's neck, trailing small kisses down the length of her shoulder blades and back up to her ear. "You smell so good." His whispered voice sent a thrill up her spine.

How she managed to have that reaction to his lips on her skin when he was only spreading small insignificant kisses on her flesh was beyond her. She had never felt this way before, had never wanted anyone like she wanted him.

"Jace-" Clary's voice was small and her protests were feeble, but she had to try regardless. "Jace… anyone can just- oh god- walk in and… and find us doing" her voice was cut off when he pulled her earlobe between his lips and gently pulled it with his teeth.

"Doing what?" his voice was low and his tone slightly mocking.

"Doing this!" Clary stage whispered and felt rather than heard a chuckle from Jace.

She was about to say something else in hopes of making him stop his assault on her neck but all too quickly his lips descended on hers effectively eliminating every other thought from her head that wasn't related in some way, shape or form to kissing him in that very spot, even if they were in a much cluttered copy room closet.

The kiss was not at all gentle. His lips crashed on hers and his tongue trailed her lower lip asking for entrance and she willingly obliged as their tongues met and small wildfires roared throughout her body. She couldn't think and by then had lost all ability to process those thoughts.

Jace's arms wrapped easily around Clary's waist pulling her body flush with his as her fingers wound through the loops of his pants and she ground her hips against his, looking for some alleviation from the heat coursing through her, and was very pleased to hear a low moan come from Jace's lips. His hands released their hold on her waist only to move down to her thighs which he grasped and pulled her up to his hips. Clary circled her legs around his waist tightening her hold and plunging her hands into his hair. The feeling was indescribable. The taste, feel, smell of him all combined to make Clary nearly loose her mind.

Jace's hands were everywhere. They trailed the length of her thigh slipping under her skirt and digging his fingers into the skin on her waist. Clary gasped and tugged on his hair hard, eliciting the sexiest groan - moan, god, she didn't know what the heck she would call it but she wanted to hear it again… and again.

She pulled once more on the silky strands at the nape of his neck and this time Jace spun them around pushing Clary against the opposite wall giving him more room to hold her up. His lips pressed harder against hers and his tongue slipped deeper into her mouth playing with her own. Caught up in their frenzy of pulling, kissing and biting, Clary barely heard the door to the copy room slide open. It wasn't until Jace's lips stilled on hers that she noticed the footsteps nearing the small closet.

Her eyes opened and she noticed Jace's flushed face and wide eyes. Faster than she could process he had loosened his hold on her thighs, dropping her legs and grabbing her hand he rushed her to a space behind some boxes that were piled high in the corner. The small crevice was barely big enough for her but somehow he managed to move his body in whatever space was left.

Jace held a finger to his lips indicating for Clary to keep her voice low as the door opened and her father stepped in. Clary buried her face in his chest to muffle her shallow breathing and Jace lowered his face to her neck attempting to do the same.

After her father picked up a small box he stepped out of the room leaving Jace and Clary alone in the small space. Abruptly, Clary pushed away from his chest squeezing through the space they had gone through in the first place.

Grabbing her skirt she tugged it down to its designated place just above her knees and fixed her shirt. "That" she said, pointing to the place Jace had pinned her to just moments before "cannot happen again."

He moved out of the space too and smirked at her. "Why? I could've sworn by noises you were making that you were quite enjoying it."

"Because I'm engaged!" Clary nearly shouted "I can't be making out with random people in storage closets."

Jace raised his hands to his chest and placed a fake expression of hurt on his face. "Me, random, how you wound me Clary." He stepped closer to her once more. "I'd think after our last two weeks together I wouldn't be such a stranger anymore."

She scowled and moved away from him before he had the chance to pin her against the wall once more. "I can't believe I just… ugh."

"You just what?" he asked, but his voice suggested that he already had a pretty good idea what the answer to that question would be. "Liked it?"

"No, I mean I…I" she stuttered and Jace raised a brow at her obvious lack of eloquent speech "ugh… I have to go." Clary rushed out of the room before Jace had a chance to stop her and ran to her office burying her face in her hands**.**

What had she done?

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After work, Clary had gotten home as fast as humanely possible, feeling like the coward she was. After the make out with Jace, the rest of her day had been dedicated to avoiding him and staying away from her father. She was an awful liar and feared that her face would betray her emotions so she waited patiently, not daring to leave the safe confines of her office, until it was time to go home.

Now Clary lay in her bedroom with tears rolling down her face. This was the one thing she hated most. She detested the fact that she was so incredibly enraged at herself for kissing Jace that she couldn't seem to stop the tears that fell down her cheeks and onto the pillow below her head.

The worst part of the matter wasn't even the fact that she had kissed him, it was what had she had felt after the kiss itself. Those feelings she hadn't expected and now her eyes burned with tears and even after two Advils her head still ached with the confusion she couldn't shake off.

A knock at her door pulled her out of her own musings bringing her back to earth.

"Who is it?" she called to the door.

"It's me cupcake… Aline called me" Magnus' voice came from the door and Clary breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she needed was her father catching her in her current state, besides she really wanted someone to talk to.

"Come in Mags" the door opened and a very sparkly Asian man walked in, a frown on his face that spread to his overly glittered eyes.

"Oh honey, what happened?" Magnus' voice was flooded with concern as he reached Clary's bed and laid down next to her.

Magnus had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. They had gone to high school together and Clary had always stuck to his side, even when he decided to come out, she had always been there just like he was for her. He was her rock and she knew that at any time, especially moments such as this one, that she could count on him.

Pushing her flame red hair away from her eyes he asked once more, seeing as Clary hadn't answered his last question, "Are you ok Clare?"

Clary shook her head "I promised myself from the beginning that I wasn't going to feel this way." She turned her gaze back to the sparkly man on her bed. "And I'm so stupid for letting him get to me."

"Oh," he said, his eyes conveying that he finally understood her dilemma "you mean the super sexy blonde that's always staring at you back at the office."

Clary scowled although it was pretty hard to deny the thrill that shot through her when Magnus said that he stared at her. She had noticed once or twice but figured it was just her head, or her heart, playing tricks on her. "He does not stare at me Mags."

"Oh, of _course_ not."

"He doesn't!"

"Please girl. His eyes do not leave_ you_ as long as you're in the room and every time you're not he doesn't even check out the hobags giving _him_ the eye."

"Magnus why are you telling me this." She closed her eyes and lowered her head. It hurt to think the mere thought, but it was the truth and she'd have to face it eventually. "I'm getting married remember. I need to stop fantasizing already before I dig myself any deeper into the hole I'm already in."

"Well baby-cakes, you're not getting married just yet." He turned to her, a mischievous glint in his cat-like eyes. "In the meantime might as well have some fun."

Clary giggled. Yes, Magnus was right; she could still have a _little_ fun.

That wouldn't hurt anyone. Right...?

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><p>Now you know what to do. review review review. Seriously they make my day and thus allow me to write faster. So the more the reviews the faster I write. Lol:)<p> 


	5. Dining with the cat

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>I am so sorry since I know this is pretty late but well, there have been so many things just piling up lately. With thanksgiving and college finals and what not I just haven't had time to write this and I'm just really sorry since I am like totally in love with this story and well Jace and Clary and general. Ok well, I lied; just Jace but you know what I mean.<p>

Oh… there I go again talking about stuff that you guys don't care about. Well I'll stop now and let you read. :) hope you like it.

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><p><strong>5. Dining with the cat<strong>

Clary's high-heel clad feet carried her gracefully down the long aisle stretching before her. Looking to her sides she saw the familiar faces of several of her family members, all dressed in white with large smiles adorning their expressions.

She was confused for a split second, not comprehending in the least why her family was gathered until she felt the large white dress and bouquet of flowers in her hand. Her gaze shifted to the flowers and with a pang to her chest, noticed several white roses all tipped in red. Clary gasped and looked ahead to the one thing she had yet to take in. At the front of the very white room stood a man. No, not a man she thought, a thing.

Its profile was human-like enough, but its hands were not fingers but razor sharp talons and the smile on its mouth didn't hold teeth, instead, in their place stood two rows of shark-like incisors. Clary's breath caught and a scream lodged in her throat wanting nothing more than to be released. She tried to move, to stop her steady advance toward the aisle but her feet wouldn't obey her desperate pleas. Instead they continued off of their own accord, toward the aisle and the demon awaiting her at the front.

She tried to scream once more, to alert her family that still sat oblivious to her distress, but once again she couldn't speak and she couldn't stop herself from moving forward. Suddenly a loud thud reverberated throughout the room causing everyone in it to look around the broad space in search of the source of the noise. It sounded once again and finally Clary was able to stop her walking and began to step back but before she had the chance to run and flee, the creature in the front opened its mouth and an ear piercing shriek escaped as it flung itself forward. Clary screwed her eyes shut and tried to hurl herself away from the thing only succeeding in tripping over the white dress she wore and falling on her back. She hit her head but felt no pain.

Her eyes flashed open and once again she was laying in her bed, gasping as thin trails of sweat slid down her back and her hair clung to her neck.

"It was just a dream." She muttered, trying to comfort herself and calm her erratic heartbeat.

A knock sounded at her door and Clary heard Aline's voice through the wood. "Jesus, Clary," she said "Open the door it's an emergency."

"Coming" Clary got up from her bed and headed for the door, opening it and seeing Aline standing just outside "what happened… who died?" she mused.

"Ha, very funny. Dad called a family meeting. Be down in 20, he says it's _of utter importance._" she mocked their father.

Clary laughed a bit "fine, be down in a few."

"That means no hour long showers Clary." She said just before Clary closed the door. She was very well known for her extensive showers. But it wasn't her fault, the hot water felt pleasant against her skin and stopping was so hard. But Clary knew how to control herself so she would be fast just for today. She began stripping down and walked to the bathroom located just inside her own room.

After stripping down she entered the tub and rinsed all the sleep and thoughts of nightmares from her mind and body. Thankfully it was Sunday so she was free from work but the family meeting with her father was worrying her more than she thought it would, or should for that matter.

Anxiety bubbled in her chest as she stepped out of her bathroom wrapped in a towel and began getting dressed. She's known for some time, especially with some of the things going on lately, that a meeting with her father was unavoidable. But she wasn't expecting a family meeting. What could be so important that he had to involve the entire family?

Pushing the thought aside Clary walked over to the mirror attached to the wall of her walk-in closet, fully dressed now, and turned around in front of it. She stepped closer and checked her face lifting her nose to peer underneath; then she furrowed her brows contorting her features and making the most ridicules faces before the mirror. She was so stupid. There she was stalling once more, trying to avoid the inevitable. Every meeting, conference, hell, any reunion period, seemed to stress her out. Why? They could have killed her just then and she wouldn't have been able to answer that question.

_Calm… calm…calm_ she thought to herself. Worrying was pointless, besides it was probably just to discuss something useless and inane like what cereal they would be buying or how their new shampoo was giving Aline dandruff. Yeah that was probably it.

With that thought in mind Clary walked down the stairs to their immense lavishly decorated foyer that her mother had personally designed, to the family room where everyone sat on the couch. Her father sat in a large loveseat while everyone else: Aline, her mother, her aunt, and Isabelle and Simon, who had just returned from their honeymoon in Rio all sat in the sectional waiting for Luke to begin speaking. Clary quickly sat just beside Aline who scowled.

"Well it was about time you got down. What do you do in the shower anyway that it takes you so damn long?" she asked, sounding more than a little annoyed.

"None. Of. Your. Business." Clary made it a point to enunciate every syllable.

Her father cleared his throat catching everyone's attention. "I'm sure you all know the recent events we've been facing." he began, his voice immediately switching into business. His posture gave no indication that the people sitting before him were family. No, this was serious. "Therefore with Clary's impending marriage" _more like impending doom _Clary thought "and the men who have given us no other choice but to go through with this process or relinquish the company, I have decided to invite them to stay in the manor with us for the next few months until the wedding day arrives."

"What?" Clary's voice came out louder than she had planned for it to sound. All heads turned to face her. "This man is trying to take everything away and you invite him into our home! Have you lost your mind?" she was losing it, she knew, but the thought of having Jace a few doors down was amazing and terrifying all at once.

"Clary if anything strange is going on I want it to be where I can see and control." He stood up and began pacing around the room; Clary settled back on the couch, it was useless to argue when his face clearly showed that that topic was dismissed. "Onto other matters, tonight Raphael, Clary's fiancé, and his family will be coming over for dinner. I expect us all to be in our best behavior. Furthermore, Mr. Morgenstern and his son will be coming by with their things tomorrow morning. We should all be there to greet them." He finished and looked around the room signaling for questions, when no one asked any he made a sweeping gesture with his hand thus dismissing everyone.

They all nodded and stepped out of the living room going their own different directions. Clary was about to leave when Isabelle grabbed her arm, yanking her back and nearly tearing it off.

"Yeesh Isabelle, you nearly ripped my arm off."

"Sorry but there is no way I'm going to let you fix yourself up when your future husband is coming to meet you for the first time."

"I dress myself every day; I can do it today too." Clary tried pulling her arm free from her grasp to no avail.

"Yeah, I know, and that's exactly why you need my help."

Clary narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me, what exactly do you mean by that little statement?"

"Um… I plead the fifth?" Isabelle raised her brows, a smirk spreading over her lips.

"Yeah, that's what I thought" Clary laughed and allowed Isabelle to pull her up the stairs and into her room.

Row upon row of makeup littered the expanse of her dresser as she sat Clary down in front of the large mirror. Spinning her away from her refection, Isabelle quickly got started, looking at Clary and completely absorbing the view of her face. "Girl when I am done with you, you won't even recognize yourself."

"Oh god." Clary squeaked "Should I be scared?"

Isabelle cackled with fake evil laughter and smirked at Clary "Oh, you should be terrified."

Clary's eyes widened as she surrendered her face to Isabelle. Yes, she was definitely terrified.

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Three hours and two pounds of makeup later Clary was heading down the stairs on her way to the dining room, just when the doorbell rang echoing loudly throughout the foyer. Susan, the maid, strolled to the door and held it open. A man, not much older than her father, stepped over the threshold followed by a woman and a younger man maybe a few years older than herself. He was handsome, Clary thought. His dark eyes went well with his tan features and dark hair and while his build was lean it was nothing compared to that of the one person she was trying so hard not think about.

The younger man, whom she assumed was Raphael, stood by the door as his eyes roamed the room finally landing on her where she stood on the last step of the broad staircase. His eyes trailed down her body, over the knee length skirt and tight blouse she wore and his lips twisted in a diminutive smirk, barely even discernible. She was _not_ appreciative of the way he ogled her. She had none of the tingles, no butterflies, no sparks or fireworks, not anything was present as she stood before the man she would be marrying in but a few months. Oh boy, this would not be as easy as she thought it would, but if she planned on making it work Clary, I-don't-need-a-man-to-complete-me Clary, would have to tough it out.

She stepped forward and held out her hand, purely for the sake of manners, and shook Raphael's.

"Clary Fray" she said "nice to meet you."

"Raphael Garcia." He smiled back just the same and when he spoke Clary noticed a bit of an accent. He was definitely Hispanic; she wanted to ask him where he was from but her father strolled up to the two.

"I see you've met. It's best you get to know each other as much as possible since you _will_ be getting married in a few months." Clary nodded and Raphael offered her his arm. She smiled politely as they both moved over to the dining room. Her family had already sat and she went to grab her seat when a low sound drew her attention. A cat, she thought. But that wasn't possible her mother was allergic and her entire family had a very deep rooted hatred for cats.

Clary moved away from her seat and toward the sound. Just next to her future mother in law's seat there was a large pink pet carrying case and inside she found a fat white cat. Its neck held what was, quite obviously, a very expensive diamond necklace and in-between each diamond laid a small ruby. The cat got one look at Clary and it nearly broke through the cage.

Clary gasped and moved away. Going back toward her seat she tried smiling as kindly as possible at her soon to be mother-in-law but she was pretty sure that she probably looked like a stick had been shoved up her behind.

"I see you've noticed Mr. cuddle-bunny." She said, signaling the cat and its sparkly diamond necklace. Clary was pretty sure that thing could've fed an entire neighborhood of starving children.

"Yes. Mr.… um-cuddle-bunny is a very," Clary paused, trying to find the right word to describe the cat and not offend its owner. "He's a very _elegant_ cat."

The lady beamed "oh honey, he's very talented too. Aren't you Mr. Cuddles? Yes you are, yes you are." She moved her face towards the cats and cooed at it like a baby as the kitty purred. "We can show you some of his tricks."

"No!" Clary thought she'd been the only one nearly shouting to keep that atrocious cat in its cage until she noticed that Aline and Isabelle had the same horrified expression she was pretty sure she wore on her face.

For god's sake, Clary really hoped this little- problem was not inheritable. Oh god! What if her children turned into cat loving freaks? She had to force herself to push the thought away before she started hyperventilating. Instead Clary kept quite throughout most of the night only speaking when she was being addressed.

Most of the talking was done mostly by her father, and Raphael, and they just talked business and numbers that Clary brushed aside. She had memorized most of the rates regardless and really didn't feel like discussing why they should do business with this one or stop doing plans with that one. It was, in all its complexity, a very tedious conversation to her. She just talked with her sisters about the newest developments in what they now called "the Jace-case."

Since he had started at the office all of the women were practically drooling over him. Clary thought they were so stupid. Sure he was good looking and god knew he was an amazing kisser, but I mean some of the looks they gave him were just pathetic. She'd had to calm herself more than once to avoid attacking the skanks at the office. However none were worse than Kaelie. Clary had heard her talking about asking him out. The best part though, was what she had overheard just a few days ago.

"So," Isabelle started "you guys have got to fill me in on the newest office gossip, I hate feeling left out." Isabelle had worked at the corporation for some time. Mostly just filing or at the front desk, but the entire time all the women would crowd around her at break time just to hear all the juicy information she had gotten on everyone and their mothers.

"Girl," Aline's voice was slightly hushed in an effort to keep their conversation from the others at the table "you know that guy who's trying to take the company from Clary?" Clary narrowed her eyes at this statement. "Well turns out he's like totally sexy… like I-wanna-lick-him sexy."

"No way!" Isabelle responded with a very loud irritating squeal.

"You guys should hear yourselves," Clary interrupted their talking, a slightly mocking edge to her voice "you two sound like teenage girls."

"Oh come on Clary, you were thinking the same thing." A knowing glint shown in Aline's eyes. "Especially, judging by the fact that you were totally making out with him in the copy room closet."

Clary gasped. What the hell? No one was there but them. "How do you know that?" her voice was shaky but god knew she just had no control over any of her reactions at this point. "Who told you? Do they work at the office? Have they told anyone else?"

"Relax" Aline held her hands in front of her face as if she meant to calm her down. "Magnus told me and that was just because I threatened to ruin all his glitter if he didn't."

Clary visibly relaxed. Her shoulders releasing the tenseness they held and her hands, which were clutched in fists under the table, loosened.

"There, you see. Well, as I was saying, you know Kaelie right? The skank at the front desk."

They all nodded but Isabelle spoke up. "Oh my god, I can't stand her. She nearly stole Simon from me."

Aline nodded, knowing all too well what Izzy meant. "Well that whore had asked Jace out and after much flirting he had said no."

"What?" Clary asked, not understanding in the least why he would say no. "Why would a perfect man-whore like him, say no to a whore like her?"

"Get this. He said that he was just not interested because he already has his eye on someone else."

"Ooooh." Isabelle said looking at Clary. "He likes you."

Clary poked her arm "Shut up. I can't afford to fall for him. Remember…" Clary pointed at Raphael who was still animatedly talking with her father.

"Yeah, yeah. But Clary," Aline's voice lowered to a whisper "you don't love him and I can tell you care for Jace, at least it's obvious he cares for you."

Clary sighed but before she could respond her mother interrupted. "Come on girls, let's say good bye to our guests."

Clary hadn't even noticed when her father and the others at the table had gotten up. God this boy had her wrecked and if she was truthful with herself she had no idea how she would handle having him in her house. Let's just say that Clary was pretty sure that the next few months would be anything but easy.

But at least she had one night of saneness, tomorrow though, was a completely different story.

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><p>Well there you have it. You finally met Raphael and Jace is moving in in the next chapter. Oh and sorry for the lack of Jace sexy-ness in this one it really sucked for me too. ;)<p>

Anyway **please review**. I usually don't beg but I'll make an exception just this once. So pretty please with a naked Jace on top;)


	6. Midnight Meetings

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>Here is chapter six and well I just want to apologize before hand and you guys will see why in the end. Well anyway I really hope you like it and remember to leave me a review… I'm obsessed now . Anyway, this is the very first chapter my fantabulous beta checks. So you guys can thank her for fixing my ridiculous mistakes…lol. I love you Lily!<p>

Ps. The disclaimer is from ddpjclaf's stories. I got it from there because, well I stink at disclaimers, but I absolutely hate anything having to do with any sort of plagiarism and I wanted to make sure that I give credit where credit is due.

Ok ok… no more talking and lets get reading!

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><p><strong>6. Midnight Meetings<strong>

From the moment Clary opened her eyes that morning she felt an odd mixture of excitement and utter mortification coursing through her body. She felt strangely bipolar. She just wanted him there, in her house, only a few steps away from her. Yet at the same time she hoped, with every fiber of her being, that the limo bringing him would get a flat tire if only to prolong these few peaceful moments where her thoughts could flow freely. No Jace, no wedding, no company.

But no, it was useless. She'd found herself thinking theses very words more than once in the past few weeks, three to be exact. Three weeks had passed and now there were officially five months left for her wedding

"Clary" a voice pulled her out of her own head. Looking at the passageway that led to the kitchen, Clary spotted Isabelle in a tight pair of dark jeans and an orange blouse that slid off her shoulder. It was a tad much for meeting the man she had grown to hate, but again, when had Isabelle ever worn anything simple? "Are you okay Clare?" she asked, although her voice suggested that she already knew the answer to that question.

"I don't even know." Her head dropped and her eyes focused on her fingers as they fiddled with the edge of her shirt.

"Well look on the bright side, at least you look pretty."

Clary laughed, she couldn't help it. Isabelle always knew just what to say to make her laugh. "Thanks Iz. Since you dressed me, I would hope I looked pretty."

Isabelle sighed, "I'm sorry Clary." She whispered the words but her voice sounded like she wanted to say so much more.

Clary's eyes lifted off of where they rested on her lap and met Isabelle's "What? Why are you apologizing Izzy? You didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes I did." Isabelle's voice was final, though Clary had no idea what she would ever need to be sorry _for_.

"Iz, if this is about the whole marriage thing, it's not your fault. You're not the one forcing me to get married to some… guy." Clary wanted to use another word, but didn't think it would be polite and although she might have not been particularly nice, she was very well educated. "Why would you think any of this would be your fault?"

"Because I was supposed to be the one taking over the corporation, but I just couldn't-" her voice faltered "I couldn't see myself signing papers or ordering people around. It was never me and well, now you have to give up on love to do what I should've done."

Clary chuckled low in her throat and reached out to take Isabelle's hands in hers "Izzy I did this, not because they made me, but because I wanted to. It was always my dream to be in charge!" Izzy giggled remembering all the times that Clary, although she was the youngest, had taken charge of the situation "I love doing this, working in the offices, it's the perks I hate."

"Yeah, I know. The perks suck don't they?"

"They do. They really do."

"Oh and about you being in charge, I think we all know how much you love _that_."

The girls laughed as the sound echoed throughout the room and for those few seconds, before reality settled in and popped their bubble of happiness, Clary was perfectly content beside her sister.

But like all good things, their careless laughing was interrupted when a loud thump swept the room and Luke's voice followed. "Girls, our guests are here."

"Oh god, Izzy!" Clary's hand rose up to her chest, her breathing becoming shallow "I think I'm going to start hyperventilating Iz. I can't breathe… Oh god, I'm going to die."

Izzy walked up to her and laughed at her obvious pain as Clary scowled giving her a look that could've probably burned a hole through anybody else. "Relax girl, take a deep breath and when you see him just act like you don't care and aren't interested in jumping his bones."

Clary's eyes narrowed and she playfully swatted Isabelle's arm "Shut up." Isabelle laughed as she grabbed Clary's arm dragging her to the front door.

And there, mere inches before her stood Jace. His blonde hair lay sprawled over his forehead and his lips tweaked into a smirk. He kept his eyes on her father and Clary tried so hard to keep hers off of him, but as life would have it, the moment she felt his eyes on her, her eyes drifted, almost against her will, to him. It was as if his presence called to her. Like a moth to a flame, she thought.

Her mother and father stood before Clary while Aline and Isabelle stood just beside her. Her father was the first to speak.

"Welcome to our home, gentlemen" her father began, his voice welcoming and all too polite as he led the men through the foyer and up the stairs. "The guest house is currently being renovated, so I'm afraid our suites will have to do."

"The guest suits are excellent." spoke, a calm, polite tone encompassing his voice. "They're practically bigger than the apartment we were at."

Her father nodded and continued walking down the hall until he stopped and turned his attention on Clary "Clary, if you could please direct here" he pointed at Jace "to his room, the one on the east side of the house, third room from the end." Clary's heart dropped into her stomach.

Oh, did she know what room that was and she knew, mostly, because it was right next to hers. Great, as if her life couldn't get anymore freaking complicated now she could add to that Jace and her uncontrollable hormones.

But of course, Clary did not voice her emotions. Instead she just nodded and quietly muttered an "Of course" before she started walking toward the room that soon would be his. She didn't bother looking back; she knew he would be following. Once again her body could sense him. It was stupid and she hated it, but like everything going on lately, it was simply against her will.

When they were far from the prying eyes of their fathers, Jace reached for Clary's arm, his hand on her was gentle as to not hurt her, yet insistent. Clary turned slowly to face him, wishing that she didn't feel that spark shooting through her skin at his touch. God, did he have to touch her, she was already having sufficient problems with emotions she was not accustomed to feeling.

"Clary, are you ok?" his voice sounded actually concerned "You seemed a bit pale back there." Then the cockiness was back, double time. "If you ask me, the blush suited you more. It's an attractive shade on you...very attractive." The words were whispered but that didn't stop the tingles, or the butterflies, or even that traitor blush he was speaking of, from spreading across her cheeks.

Jace smiled and his hand reached up to her face, tracing her jaw with his thumb as his hand wrapped around her waist pulling her, slowly but surely, against him. "Ah, there it is…" he said, directing his gaze to the blush that was surely bright scarlet against her pale skin. He raised his hand to her cheeks and leaning forward kissed them both. With just that simple gesture Clary was lost. The sensation of being this close to him once more was all too much for her and he was obviously not planning on moving away now that his lips were so close to hers. Clary could feel his breath fan across her face, smell him, feel him and it was sunshine and mint and all man.

She had to stop this. She wouldn't, couldn't, fall for his games again, so pulling her hands up to his black shirt, decided to play with him, just a little. After all, if Jace could play games, well then why couldn't she? Getting a firm grip on the shirt she held between her fists, she tugged on the fabric dragging his body the rest of the way to hers as their bodies crashed. Fire spread through her at the contact but she had already decided to stay strong. Clary tiptoed until she was at level with his face, so close to his lips, too close, and his golden eyes stared at her green ones until she moved her face just when Jace was nearing her lips. In a barely audible sigh, Clary whispered into his ear "mmmhhhmmm" she pulled his earlobe between her teeth as they grazed lightly over the skin and a low moan escaped his lips. Clary smiled against his skin. "But do you know what I want Jace?" she asked, her voice low and seductive.

"What do you want baby?"

"I want to see your…"

"Yeah?"

"I want to see your… gorgeous suite."

Jace stilled and his hand on her back tightened, "Damn Red, that was a good one."

"Yeah, I know," Clary laughed as she pulled out of his arms "now follow me."

He chuckled but silently followed behind and a few seconds later they had reached the door to her room just before his, Clary passed by quickly stopping right in front of his room and opening the door, she stepped inside. Jace followed, walking just behind her, a bit too close behind her, Clary thought- not that she was complaining.

"This is your suite," she said "the bathroom is on that side" she pointed towards the far right corner of the room "and if you need anything the phone is on the night stand. Just dial number two for the maid." Clary stopped her talking and turned to face Jace who was curiously looking at her. She blushed and a large smirk stretched across his face.

Jace stepped closer and like in the hall, Clary didn't move, instead she remained stoic refusing to show him just how much his presence affected her. "What I really want to know is where, in this very large house, is _your_ room?"

She giggled and placed a hand against his chest, feeling rock hard muscle, and pushed him away "As if I would tell _you_."

He smirked as she stepped away and walked out the door "See you around, Jace." And with that, Clary stepped outside and quickly walked into her room before he had the chance to follow her. The moment she was inside the safe confines of her bedroom, she did what any best friend would do when there was hot guy sitting in the room just next hers. She called Magnus.

Picking up the phone she dialed the number she knew almost better than her own and after three rings he answered.

"Clary, darling, how's life treating you lately? Any naked sexy men been in your room that you haven't told me about?" Of course that would be the first thing he would think of, she thought.

Clary laughed "No, but there is one right _next_ to my room."

She heard a sharp intake of breath come from the other line "Wait… what was that again?"

"Come on Mags, don't even act like you didn't hear me."

"Oh no, I heard you girl. I was just verifying that I heard you _correctly_." A screech came from the other side of the line "Hush, Chairman Meow, I'm talking to auntie Clary."

Clary laughed, she could already picture Magnus swatting at the small kitten as he painted his nails. "Magnus, help me out here. I really need somebody to talk to right about now."

"Sorry babe. Okay, tell me about this sexy guy next to your bedroom."

"Okay, so remember how I told you Jace was staying at the manor with his father?"

"Uh huh."

"So he came this morning and well, my father chose the spare room beside mine for him." Clary sighed, "I mean, of all the rooms in this damn house, he just _had_ to pick that one."

Loud laughter filtered through the phone and she had to hold the earpiece away from her head to avoid loosing her hearing. "Clary, how is that a problem, you have a sexy-as-sin guy just next to your room and you're complaining? I mean seriously, any women in the world would kill to be in your situation."

"But I'm -"

"Yeah, yeah, you're engaged. Yadda, yadda" he interrupted "I know Clare, you've told me this countless times. I get it, but ignore that asshat you have to marry and just enjoy the moment."

Clary laughed "You know that way of thinking can land you in jail, right?"

"Don't even go there cupcake. I already have my mother for that."

"Fine Mags." Crashing and cat squeals came from the other end "Magnus is everything ok-" more crashing "Magnus?" she said; now feeling a bit concerned.

"Sorry Clare, I have to go- no, bad kitty, leave my glitter polish alone- Chairman is being a bad kitty and he got into my polish supply."

Clary giggled "Alright Magnus, talk to you later." She hung up the phone but before she did she could hear cursing from the other end as a chorus of crashes sounded in the background.

Clary was always so grateful to have a friend like Magnus, she couldn't imagine anyone better. He was there for her when she needed someone to just be there, he spoke to her when she needed someone to just speak and he comforted her when she was sad. If that wasn't a good friend she didn't know what was.

Clary lay down on her bed and closing her eyes she just let her mind clear out for a few moments completely loosing track of time and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep. There were no thoughts of Jace, or anything else really, invading her dreams for the first time in a while.

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Jace had spent the grand majority of the day in his room sitting on his laptop and working on, what he loved to call, a bunch of useless work crap but clary just kept invading his head. That girl had somehow managed to get into his mind and he couldn't get the stupid thoughts of the way she felt in his arms, or how soft her lips were, or even the way her nails had dug into his shoulder that day in the closet. God, he was totally wrecked. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part, the part that kept on nagging and nagging at his thoughts, was the fact that the girl was engaged and it was all because of him.

He needed to stop… thinking so damn much. Thinking was never a good thing and besides, his stomach was growling quite a bit. So he decided to go into the kitchen to get something to eat.

Standing up from where he sat at a large desk in the corner of the room Jace walked outside, the hall stretched out before him seeming endless and he knew that, judging by the time, no one would be up so the house was mostly quiet. This manor was not much bigger than his back in Switzerland but it was spread out differently, the rooms were much wider and the halls seemed to go on forever. With this in mind he decided to start walking to the kitchen or else he might not make it there until tomorrow.

Their kitchen was huge. Cabinet upon cabinet sat on the wall and a colossal fridge lay in the corner of the room. It was every man's dream he thought, so opening the door he peered inside and found rows and rows of food. Jace was much too lost in his- appreciating -of the fridge to hear someone else entering the kitchen until a sharp intake of breath pulled him out of his food induced haze.

Clary stood in the corner of the room, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open as she took him in. "See anything you like?" he asked. He knew he definitely saw something _he_ liked. She wore very little clothing, mostly just a pair of shorts and a very see-through tank top. Jace had to pull himself together to avoid grabbing her and pulling her small body to his right then and there.

She composed herself once more, her face transforming into that same controlled expression she always wore, but the flush spreading across her cheek gave away her true emotions. "You know, being in love with yourself that much is really not healthy." There was a sarcastic edge to her voice and Jace couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

Clary finally moved away from the kitchen entrance and headed for the cabinets, pulling out a box of cereal. "Really," he said, "you're eating cereal?"

"What? What's wrong with cereal?"

He smiled and pulled out a bottle of wine from the fridge, some bread and a few slices of cheese along with two apples. "Nothing, but why have cereal when you can have my amazing cheese sandwiches."

She smiled, he loved her smile, it did indescribable things to him. "Fine, but if you're food makes me sick, I'm holding you accountable."

"Deal." He said and started fixing the food as she pulled out a few wine glasses from the cupboard and filled them with the dark red liquid. "So, what are you doing awake at this time?"

"Couldn't sleep. You?" she looked up at him from the rim of her wine glass.

"Same, but I got hungry and thought I'd get something to eat."

"Oh… well at least you didn't get lost in the halls" she said but her voice suggested that she spoke from experience.

"Really, so you get lost in your own house?" he laughed "And here I thought you were smarter than that."

She narrowed her eyes "Not anymore, smart ass! But I did as a kid" a smile formed on her lips.

"Really, so how did you learn your way around this gigantic place?" he handed her a cheese sandwich and she took it, handing him a glass of wine in return.

"Isabelle and Aline had to hold my hand and show me around the whole house for an entire week until I figured out how to get around on my own." An even larger smile spread over her lips. "I was like six I think."

"Well then I'm guessing it's a good thing that you learned how to get around eventually." He took a bite of his sandwich, swallowed and looked back up at her "It would have been kind of sad to have someone your age still getting lost in their own house."

She laughed "Tell me about it."

Nobody else spoke and he took a moment to just look at her. She was beautiful: pale skin, bright green eyes and a small frame; it was enough to make his heart speed up in his chest and his breath to catch. Then she looked up and the moment their eyes met he was lost. Lost in a pool of green, lost in her with no hope of escaping.

Her breath caught and almost involuntarily, Jace moved closer, their faces nearly touching and their breathing intermingling in the small space separating them. What was he doing, he was supposed to make _her_ fall for_ him_ but the only thing that he was accomplishing was the very thing that he was trying to avoid. But when she was this close it was hard for him to form a coherent thought, so he moved closer still. Jace thought Clary would pull away but she didn't, instead she moved closer.

"Jace" she said, her voice was clear but there was no conviction behind it. Like the words were leaving her mouth but the action behind them was non-existent.

"Clary"

"Jace I…I shouldn't do thi- " but he didn't let her finish that sentence when his lips descended on hers preventing every other word from leaving her lips. His hands pulled her closer, tugging on her waist and bringing her body onto his until her legs were straddling his waist. Jace could feel Clary's hands fisting in his hair as his went under her shirt, slipping closer and closer to her chest. When the tip of his finger reached her bra she gasped and released his hair to grab the ends of her tank top and pull it over her head. His heart was slamming against his ribs to the point where he thought it would just fly out of his chest but regardless he pulled away from the kiss needing to see her.

"God, you're so beautiful" his words were choppy and breathy but she smiled and attacked his lips once more. Jace tried to unhook her bra when the dim kitchen lights flicked back on and the entire room was flooded with the fluorescent lighting. They broke apart, both flushed and nearly panting. He looked at her wide eyes as both heads turned to the other presence in the room.

At the entry stood Clary's eldest sister, Isabelle, and much like when Clary first saw him in the kitchen, her eyes were wide and her mouth was slack but Jace had a feeling that her reaction was for a completely different reason. This wasn't going to have a good ending, he could already tell.

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><p>So there you have it and now you know why I apologized. I am really sorry for that cliffy. I swear I'll make it up to you guys.<p>

Next update won't be until January because I'm leaving the country this week so I did my best to give you this before I had to leave, but well the cliffy was just unavoidable at this point. Any way I hope you have a merry Christmas and happy New Year.

Oh. and leave me a review. It can be you're Christmas present to me :D


	7. I Don't Give a Damn

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>Hi guys. I am so very sorry that this is so late and well I'm not even going to say the reason behind it I'll just say that I'm sorry but I do have a very good excuse. Anyway, this chapter is somewhat short but there are some very important things going on here so I will ask that you pay close attention. Well that would be it…. Hope you like it:D<p>

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><p><strong>7. I Don't Give a Damn<strong>

Clary's heart was flying in her chest as Jace's hands roamed her body. They were everywhere and nowhere all at once. His touch, his body, his breath on her skin and the words that left his mouth were enough to make her forget it all. Her family, her job, her world… nothing else held any significance. All the things that had once been so instrumental in her life no longer seemed to matter nearly as much. Her head was clouded the only thing she could process at that moment was the feel oh him against her. Therefore, it was no surprise when neither one heard footsteps nearing the kitchen and it wasn't until the dim lights flicked back on, flooding the room with their fluorescent glow, that she even realized there was someone else in the room.

They broke apart, breathing ragged, and both looked at each other for just a moment before coming to the same realization at once as both heads turned to the entrance. There stood Isabelle, eyes wide and mouth agape.

Clary knew she should be worried, horrified, embarrassed even, but the only thing she felt at that moment was relief. Because, even though yes, she had just been caught topless on some guys lap in her kitchen at midnight, the fact that the one to find her had been her sister and not her father was comforting beyond belief. Hell, she didn't even want to think about what happen if Luke caught her in this… compromising position while she was very much engaged. Even if that marriage was being made against her will, even if she knew nothing about her soon to be fiancé, and even if said fiancé was a bit of an ass. She would have preferred not to have gotten caught at all and maybe, even though she really didn't want to admit it, continue kissing Jace. But when it came down to it if some one was going to walk in Clary was grateful that that someone had been Isabelle. However, now looking at Izzy Clary wondered if she was going through some sort of cardiac arrest. She hadn't moved the entire time, her gaze going from Clary to Jace and back.

Clary felt Jace's hands tighten on her waist as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Um… you might want to put your shirt back on and perhaps get off my lap before your sister has a stroke." his voice remained low and his eyes focused on her and in them Clary saw that what he said was not what he wanted. She sighed and nodded moving off him and reaching for her shirt which now sat just at Isabelle's feet. Clary promptly straitened, put her shirt on properly and then braced herself to face Izzy.

Iz narrowed her eyes before grasping Clary's arm and tugging her toward the living room, indicating that she needed to speak to her. Oh god, Clary knew this was coming, she had just hoped to make a clean break and think of an excuse overnight, but no dice. So before being taken, or more like dragged away she turned to Jace. Their eyes met in the short distance separating them and she nearly forgot about Isabelle standing just behind her as memories of that night bombarded her once more. Almost immediately, Clary could feel the heat traveling up her neck and pooling in her cheeks and she silently cursed her useless pale skin. Why couldn't she have gotten Isabelle's tanned skin like their father? She turned her gaze to Jace and as if he knew just what she was thinking a wide smirk spread over his face.

"I'll just get going." He stalked forward, brushing by Isabelle, who was putting on her intimidating face, and out through the arch of the entryway that was connected to the living room. Nevertheless, before leaving the kitchen completely he turned around and met her eyes. Gold; so deep, so endless Clary thought she would drown. "Good night Clary." It was almost a whisper but it was enough.

"Good night Jace." She answered simply and for some strange reason Clary would never understand, her eyes remained glued to his back as he drifted farther and farther away. What was wrong with her? This wasn't her, this stupid girl daydreaming about a man she could never have was not her. So many questions flooded her mind and she wanted answers. Why did she feel like smiling? Why was her heart flying in her chest? She wanted, no, needed someone to explain why she longed to see him from the moment her eyes fluttered open in the morning, why her thoughts seemed to drift to him without her permission.

"Clary we need to have a chat" Isabelle effectively popped her bubble pulling her into the living room and practically pushing her onto the couch as she began pacing around the room, concern written all over her features. Isabelle's stance was stiff, rigid.

"Iz?" she said, trying to be as cautious as possible "Izzy, are you okay?"

"Don't you 'Iz' me Clary!" Isabelle's voice raised an octave with every passing word. Clary flinched at the tone. "What the hell were you doing back there Clary? For god's sake, you're engaged and you're making out with the source of all our problems!" her arms were flailing now; sweeping through the air as if the mere movement could make her words all the more potent.

"Okay, first of all, we were not making out." Iz glared at her "well maybe we were but it's not like that."

"Then how is it Clary, please explain it to me because I don't understand …" her eyes widened and her hand rose to her mouth. Clary liked to call this Isabelle's breakthrough face and she had come to learn that when Isabelle had a breakthrough you should always pack your bags and move out of town. "Oh god… oh god."

"What?"

Isabelle said nothing; her face still held that same shocked expression.

"Isabelle, what is it?"

"You're falling for him."

"What… no! I am not falling for him, I swear. He's not even my type." The words were leaving her lips but her heart mind and body were screaming at her _liar liar pants on fire._

"Yes you are. I can see the way you look at him and him at you. You two are totally falling for each other."

"Who's falling for who?" came a voice from the living room hallway. Turning to the sound Clary noticed Aline standing dreary eyed just a few feet away.

"Clary's falling for the sex god trying to steal the corporation."

"Ooh you mean the guy you were making out with in that closet?"

Clary scowled at Aline as a gasp came from Isabelle who Clary had told nothing to, that is until Aline opened her big mouth. Sometimes she wondered if Aline had been dropped as a baby. "I am not falling for him." She said trying to enunciate every syllable.

"Oh, so you admit he's a sex god?" Isabelle mocked her.

"No, I said that… I mean, what I meant was…" Clary stuttered trying to get her words in order but judging by the jumbled mess that left her mouth instead, failing miserably. "Ugh, I can't work like this, I'm going to sleep. Goodnight." She tried to make her voice as authoritative as humanely possible and her tone final yet giggles still came from her sisters.

Clary picked up her feet, closed off her ears and left before whatever small amount of dignity that she had left was taken. She refused to play this little game of theirs. Nearly running to the stairs, she went up almost tripping over her own feet in her haste to make it to her room. All the while hopping and begging any God that bothered to hear her pleas that Jace had already gone to bed or else not only would she have to face him after the scene in the kitchen, which was bad enough as is, but then he would also discover that their rooms were connected.

Crossing her fingers and toes, she rounded the corner and there in all his shirtless-ablicious-glory stood Jace, and Clary noticed for the first time the tattoo over his biceps. There, on his right arm , was a sort of tribal art cosistings of a stange array of lines and curves, odd points and figures all dtrewn on his arm reaching hs elbow. It was what someone would call, disorganized organization and it was absoloutly sexy. Her mouth watered and her eyes widened as she caught sight of his abdomen, perfectly sculpted lines, all muscle. Clary could not see a hint of fat anywhere and god if she didn't just want to run to him and trace her tongue over every part of his delicious manly body.

"You ok?" his voice drew her out of her very R rated fantasies "you seem kind of flushed." He sounded so sarcastic and she knew immediately that he had noticed her appraisal of his body and was thoroughly enjoying her reaction.

"I'm fine, but I just thought that I should tell you something" she paused to take a breath and prepare for the words she really did not want to say. Tonight she had seen another side to him not the conceited, arrogant ass he was to most people but someone so sweet her chest had hurt from the beating… or thrashing, of her heart . The glint in his eyes and the way he held her, so gently yet so close to his body, was causing emotions she didn't know existed, let alone that she could feel them, burn through her. However, there they were. "Can I come in?" she asked pointing at the closed door behind him.

Jace seemed to tense for an instant before returning to his same tedious, uncaring demeanor, for just a second, almost short enough to go unnoticed, but not to her. "No, I think we should stay out here. I still I haven't unpacked my things and the place is a mess."

"Oh, umm… ok. I just thought I should say that I'm sorry for what happened in the… uh, well you know. I shouldn't have done that and I'm sorry for leading you on, I guess it was just a …"

But she never finished speaking because in that moment his hands went around her waist bringing her to him and leaning in so close that their noses nearly touched. She could feel his breath fanning across her cheeks and his eyes boring into hers "I wouldn't apologize if I were you because if that was leading me on then I would love it if you could lead me on everyday."

"Jace…" she whispered it was almost a plea of sorts. For what? She didn't know. But before she could think it through his lips crashed onto hers for the second time that night. They moved softly over hers and before she could stop herself she was kissing him back just as delicately, sweetly before he pulled away resting his forehead on hers.

"Don't be sorry Clary, please. I most certainly am not sorry and I don't give a damn what your sister thinks, although that look in her eyes _was _pretty scary." He chuckled, his face contorting into the funniest expression she had ever seen.

Clary giggled, "If you thought that was scary, then you haven't seen anything yet."

He smiled before pressing his lips to hers once more and releasing her waist. "It's getting late. You should get to sleep."

"Yeah… see you." She started walking to her room, a big smile plastered on her face before she stopped mere inches away from him and turned around. Clary knew what she should do, but for some reason she didn't seem to care. So practically flinging herself at him, she wound her arms around his neck and kissed him. _She_ kissed _him_, he didn't initiate this time, because this time it was all her. Clary was tired of denying herself something she had wanted so much from the moment she met him at that wedding, this was what she needed and the world could go and shrivel away along with all its judgments and criticisms.

"Jace…" she whispered, he still held his eyes closed and his lip between his teeth as if he was still savoring the kiss "I don't give a damn what my sisters think either."

He opened his eyes slowly and released his lip, drawing her attention to it before her gaze went back to his eyes. "Good."

Clary detached herself from him and went into her room, ignoring the surprise on his face as he saw the location. She shut the door feeling giddy with happiness and she was sure she looked like such a teenage girl but at that moment, she really did not care, because tonight she knew exactly who would be staring in her dreams.

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Jace entered his room, relief coursing through him that he had been able to stop Clary from going in. Not because he didn't want her there, because god knew he did, but because sitting in his desk's chair, radiating authority, was his father.

"Jace, what were you doing up this late?" he flinched internally at the harsh tone of his voice. Stephan had never been a loving man; hell, Jace didn't think the man had hugged him in ages. Nevertheless, that was beside the point, because he was all grown up now and the last thing he needed was his father's approval although that didn't stop him from wanting it any less. Which was why he was here now trying to get this girl to fall for him and ruining her life in the mean time.

"I couldn't sleep," he said trying to match his father's tone "so I went to get something to eat."

"You were with her weren't you?" Jace's breath caught in his throat because he knew exactly what was coming.

"Yeah I was, but isn't that the point? Aren't I supposed to make her fall for me?"

Stephan stood up, stepping closer, a furious glow in his eyes "yes… yes you are. But for god's sake Jace, if you dare to fall for her and ruin our plan and all my hard work you better hope you can find a box to live in because you most certainly won't be under my roof."

"I don't care for that girl father" he nearly growled "and I _will not_, do you hear me, I _will not_ fall for her." Even as he spoke the words, a small part of him, the part that he was desperately trying to burry, was telling him how much of a lie those words were.

"You better hope so Jace." His father quickly stepped out leaving him to stand in the middle of his room.

The door shut behind him as Jace sat in his bed and took a deep breath trying to forget his father's words. He had told Clary just moments before that he didn't care what her sisters thought but could he really think in the same way about his father?

Yes, the answer was yes he could, after tonight he knew for sure. After having her in his arms and looking into her eyes and really kissing her for the second time how could he not. Jace knew he was only setting himself up but for the first time in a very long time, he did not care, because tonight he knew exactly who would be staring in his dreams.

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><p>Voila… there you have it. So now Jace and Clary are finally giving in to their feelings. Let's just hope Clary doesn't go all bipolar on us and push Jace away. Lol… just kidding ;D<p>

Comment please… they might just make me update faster.


	8. The Cherry Blossom Tree

Hi guys soooooo, here is chapter eight, I know it took some time but for those of you that didn't read the little note I put up, my computer had to be completely cleaned out after it got some really bad virus so I lost everything I wrote, all my music, documents and pictures. I had to write all this from the beginning. But personally I think that this one is better than the original… oh well.

So I will shut my mouth and let you read. Lol… :D

Enjoy!

**8. The Cherry Blossom Tree**

_And I fell for you_  
><em>like the blossom<em>  
><em>from the cherry trees<em>

_-unknown_

Her eyes were still closed when she saw the sparkling light of the sun reflected on her face through her closed eyelids. She felt the delicious warmth on her cheeks as it poured in through the window where the drapes had been removed and set aside the night before and she had forgotten to replace them.

The night before.

Clary burst up in bed as everything that had happened; the smooth caresses, tender kisses and whispered words flooded her mind and a slow smile spread across her face. All the things that she had told Jace and he had told her still sent tingles through her body. She knew, in all honesty, that this little fling could not last. Eventually she would have to face the truth that regardless of how much she might like him, or how much her body most obviously craved his, she couldn't have him; she owed it to her father.

Clary turned her gaze to the clock beside her bed and noticed that it was just past seven. Therefore, getting up she rushed to the bathroom, more than a little excited to see Jace. How would he act today? What would he do now that they had both agreed to ignore everything they were being told and just embrace their feelings like they had wanted to do for so long? Only one way to find out.

She turned the water on in the shower and nearly ran inside. Clary had an hour, at most, to shower, fix her hair and find the perfect outfit that made her look sexy yet classy. Something that seemed like she didn't try too hard or spend forty-five minutes in front of her closet picking clothes as if she were going to meet the queen.

She rushed out of the bathroom and dried off quickly flying over to her curling iron. It was the fastest alternative to tame her rebellious head of curls. After fixing several soft curls that fell lightly down her back and landed just above her butt, she headed to her closet. Now to find the tightest pair of jeans she owned. But that was easier said than done because at the moment she was having one of those 'I have no clothes to wear' crises. Every girl has them when, even as she stood in front of her walk-in closet that was probably only slightly smaller than a miniature MacDonald's, she still had no clue what to wear.

So she walked to stand before a color coordinated wall of blue, from lightest to darkest, and shuffled through all the different pairs of jeans.

"Nope… no… too loose… too tight… makes my butt look squared… makes my butt look too big… make it look like I _have no butt._" And the list went on and on and then she ran across the third to last pair and looked at it, analyzed it a bit and with a smile and only one thought on her mind she slipped them on. They were an extremely fitted pair of jeans and after adding a, what she hoped was classy, cardigan over a dark blouse and a very comfy pair of flats she headed downstairs.

Clary kept her steps silent, carefully going down each one and avoiding the loud clanking noise that shoes so often made. Her eyes focused on the space before her as she stepped into the foyer; it was still early so most lights were turned off or dimmed to provide at least a fickle of illumination in case someone wanted to snack in the middle of the night.

That particular habit started awhile after a small, well maybe large would be a better word, incident with her father. Luke had gone downstairs but tripped on god knows what and had nearly broken a hip. After a trip to the hospital and a few very long weeks in bed he had a series of lights installed throughout the house that were set to be turn on at night. Clary laughed at the memory although at the time it was anything but funny. As she cleared the stairs and walked through the living room, she finally stepped into the kitchen, the lights still dimmed like they were the night before proving that no one had been there.

Grabbing a cup she made herself some coffee and sat down letting her thoughts and memories float freely. She had denied herself so much in the past few weeks, they both had. Every though she knew she shouldn't be having, especially those that involved minimal clothing and crude language, she had blocked out or ignored. And when all else failed and they still wouldn't stop Clary had proceeded to finding a nice sturdy brick to hit herself in the head for even considering the thought. But now after her talk with Jace, after their kiss, she didn't know if she would be strong enough to continue doing the same.

"Good morning" a deep, beautiful and very familiar voice whispered in her ear. His warm breath gliding over her skin, sending goose bumps down her back and nearly making her jump out of her seat in what was a very pleasant surprise.

Clary turned around and found Jace in a pair of low slung jeans and a blue shirt that was just clingy enough to hint at was underneath; she could see the cut line of muscle. The sleeves of his shirt though were up to his elbows, completely hiding the tattoo on his biceps and Clary wondered, for just a moment, if perhaps he was ashamed of them.

"Good morning." She whispered right back, spinning herself around in the seat to face him. A broad smile stretched across his face as he caught sight of her and immediately his hands went to her hips and his feet pulled him closer to her, moving to stand between her legs. "How did you sleep?"

He had now moved his head closer to hers, nuzzling her neck as he whispered "better than ever." She could feel the corners of his lips turned up in amusement and just his closeness made the hairs on her neck stand on end and the most amazing, yet unexpected, thrill shoot up her spine.

"Good, it was a pretty… unique night" she said, a light blush spreading across her pale skin at the reminder.

He pulled away from her but made sure to catch her eye in the space separating them "I meant every word I said. God knows my father, hell, our fathers, will probably murder both of us, but I just don't care anymore Clary. "

"Jace," she started not sure how to start with so many strange emotions in her. On one hand Clary wanted to grab his shirt and drag him into her and then proceed to kiss him senseless until she couldn't breathe. But on the other hand, she wanted to pack up and leave him before they both got too attached and the inevitable separation came like she knew it would. "I like you. I mean that's no secrete, but it's a lot that we're risking here. There's too much on the line, are you really willing to jeopardize that?"

Jace's eyes glowed "First of all, they don't have to find out" he smirked, the ever so sexy smirk that only Jace could do perfectly, blossomed once more, she hadn't seen it in a while and it was nice seeing it again—ok well, maybe it was more than nice. His hands landed on her waist once more before bringing both their bodies together. "And second of all, whatever is _'on the line'_ will be worth it if I get you."

Clary's breath caught in her throat and she had the undeniable urge to shout 'awwwww' very loudly but thankfully before she had the chance his lips descended on hers and before she knew it, she was kissing him back. It was all soft, and wet and so very warm. Her entire body seemed to be on fire, from head to toe. Clary knew a few things for certain: no one else's kisses could do to her what Jace's could, no one's words could ever make her breath catch in her throat and no one, not even her soon-to-be-husband, because saying fiancé made everything feel so much more real to her, could make her feel this intense heat radiating from every pore in her body.

She could feel herself getting lost in his embrace but the reminder of exactly where it was that they were still sat in the back of her mind, of course, it was blocked out by so many other thoughts to the point where it was almost nothing but a faint echo. "Jace?" she murmured against his lips.

"Mmmm" his lips still moved against hers and his arms still held her tightly as if he were just as unwilling to release her.

"Jace, my dad or yours could come down at any moment and then they'd either take you away from me or lock me in a small room until the wedding."

He pulled away just far enough to rest his forehead against hers "I checked on your father and he was sleeping, well technically he was snoring like a locomotive."

She giggled, actually giggled like a school girl. "What about your father or my sisters or the work staff."

"god, why the hell do you people have so much going on in this damn house" he said "it's almost impossible to, say, kiss my secrete girlfriend without attracting some sort of attention."

Clary laughed "I bet. Come on before your dad comes downstairs and finds us." And then pulling his hand, she slowly brought him out of the kitchen. "There's something I want to show you."

Clary knew just where she wanted to take him, the one place not many people knew about in the gardens where she would go to sit and draw and forget that she was responsible for running half of a worldwide corporation.

Their hands hung between them, tightly intertwined, as Jace followed her throughout the house. Past the living room, family room and finally through the sliding glass doors that lead to the backyard, which in reality was a bit more like a small park. They passed the most beautiful flower bushes, flawlessly carved trees, the cutest paths that Clary just loved. Before she knew it they had gotten to her favorite space. It consisted of a small bench and a couple flowers but the centerpiece of the area, the reason she loved it so much, was the cherry blossom tree with its extended branches dripping pink flowers and the breeze that swept through the tree seeming to make it come to life as it swayed in the breeze, dancing to the sound of nature.

A small smile spread across Clary's lips as the wind and peacefulness overwhelmed her and she turned to face Jace who just stood behind her, curiously watching.

"You seem so happy here."

"I Am." she said, walking to stand in his arms as he enveloped her in his embrace, just drowning in his scent. Clary looked up at him to catch his eye and she smiled as he smiled back.

"Tell me about this place." Jace whispered.

"Well, when I was younger mom and dad would be out a lot. At work functions, meetings and stuff like that, Aline, Izzy and I would be left home alone with some nanny. They were older so they'd do their thing while I'd stay in my room bored to death." She grinned a bit at the memory and caught Jace's smirk too. "So one faithful day I decided I was tired of being in my room and headed out to, you know, explore a bit and I found this place. I must've been six at the time. I've come here ever since."

Clary had truly fallen in love with the small garden when she first saw it, not many people knew it was here, just her and her father, even the gardeners didn't know. It was just her little piece of heaven.

"How about these flowers?" he asked pointing at the copious arrangement surrounding the bench.

"I planted those a long time ago. It was mostly my favorite color at the time but when they had grown out I already liked a different color so I'd plant one more flower."

"You were a very indecisive girl weren't you?" He teased as they both laughed "should I be worried that you might change your mind and dump me?"

Clary stretched on her tip toes to reach his lips, softly kissing him and whispering against his mouth "you have nothing to worry about."

"Good." He said before pulling her in and she melted into him until a loud buzz and the vibrations coming from her behind made her jump so high if it hadn't been for Jace's arms around her she'd have hit the floor. Pulling out the offending object and cursing whoever it was for interrupting their moment, she looked at the screen her brows pulling together as she noticed the name flashing back at her, her father.

"It's my dad." she said and Jace looked back, a questioning look on his face as Clary pressed the talk button.

"Hi daddy."

"Clare, where are you honey we've got a few people here to see you."

"I was just showing Jace around the lands… and who's here to see me?" she asked, more than a little skeptical.

"Just a few business people. Hurry back."

"What? Dad, who is it?" but the line was already dead so she turned to face Jace "apparently there are some people there to see me. We have to get going."

"Who is it?" he asked.

"I don't know, dad didn't tell me and just when it was getting good."

One of his eyebrows quirked up "Remind me to talk to your dad about timing later."

She laughed before tugging on his hand to bring him along the same path they come by. "Jace, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why do you hide your tattoos?"

She heard him inhale and stiffen slightly before speaking up "I got them when I was a teenager so it's not really something I like to exhibit and well, in our line of work tattoos are somewhat frowned upon." He said, rather carefully Clary noticed.

"Oh." The conversation died from then on and they walked along the path in a peaceful silence, hands intertwined. That was another thing Clary loved about him, the way talk was unnecessary, she never felt the need to fill the silence with useless chatter the way she did with everybody else. Jace pulled her to him as they neared the back door and kissed her once more.

"I wish we could do this in front of everybody else." He said "but I can't so this'll have to do."

"I wish you could too." Clary released his hand and they walked through the door side by side, Jace's hand brushing hers from time to time sending little shivers up her spine. But that all died as she saw who stood beside her father, talking as if they were life-long friends.

"Hello father. Hello Raphael." She said trying her hardest to keep the venom out of her voice as she said his name and caught the expression on Jace's face that seemed to scream murder. She took in the deadly glances both the man by her side, the one she was falling in love with and the man before her, whom she was forced to marry were sending each other. Great, just great and her morning had started off on such a good note but the saying must be true after all, all good things really do come to an end, she thought bitterly.

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Jace could feel his fists clench the moment he caught sight of Raphael Garcia. He had always had pretty violent tendencies, leftovers from his days as a teenager being in places and doing things he probably shouldn't, but even that was nothing compared to the fury coursing through him at that very moment. He wanted to pull Clary into him, to protect her from the eyes of this vile man, but he couldn't do that, not in front of her father. This was all happening because of him and _his_ father, then again if Stephan hadn't insisted on keeping Graymark corporations all to himself he wouldn't have met Clary.

So pushing aside his irrational urge to pummel the idiotic man before him, he stepped forwards and shook his hand. "Mr. Garcia." It was a simple greeting but he just couldn't risk saying anything else without accidently speaking the words crowding his mind at the moment and those were more along the lines of 'stay the hell away from Clary if you don't want to lose a few appendages!'

"Pleased to meet you, I was just passing by to speak with my fiancé." Jace's jaw clenched as he turned around to see Clary, who looked less than pleased to be seeing _him_. This made Jace happy; very, very happy.

"Actually," Clary spoke, her voice sending slight thrills through him "I kind of had some important things to be doing at the office later this afternoon." He sighed internally out of relief that she wouldn't have to go with this man, for now at least she was his and he was hers.

"I'm sure that can be postponed." her father said

"Truthfully daddy, I spoke with Hodge and said I would help him go over some rate sheets for the meeting Thursday. You know I'm the best one for that." then she seemed to be thinking something over before turning to Jace "now that I think about it, didn't you say you'd help me Jace?" she asked, a gleam in her eyes.

This girl was a genius; he thought and nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, I almost forgot." He said going along with her plan, thinking how impossible it was since she had already gone over those sheets maybe two weeks ago.

"Oh, well in that case…"

Clary beamed before walking up to her dad and kissing him on the cheek like an eager teenager before shaking hands with Raphael, who had to quickly change his expression from the scowl directed at Jace to a warm smile, a warm forced smile. Clary though didn't notice as she grabbed Jace's arm dragging him outside and looking around obviously searching for his car, the car that she would not find because just a few days ago he had turned in his BMW for something much better.

"Jace, where's your car?" she asked still searching and jumping slightly on her heel in her hurry to get out of there, he completely understood.

"It's gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Her eyes widened "you do have a car right?"

"Not exactly." He grabbed her hand pulling her into the garage and grabbing a sleek black bike from under the tarp covering it before turning to look at Clary with a smirk on his face.

"Holy shit, when did you get a motorcycle?" he chuckled and grabbed her waist pulling her into him.

"I've always been a motorcycle type of guy. I only gave them up after I started working at the corporation,"

"So you know how to drive this thing?" she looked at him hopefully.

"What?" he said raising a hand to his chest in mock hurt "Are you doubting my skills Clary?"

"No, it's just that I'm too young to die in a motorcycle accident."

Jace brought his lips to hers, not kissing just connecting as he spoke against her skin, trying his hardest to push away the emotion in him and the electric, almost fire-like spark that ignited at their contact. "I would never let anything hurt you," he whispered "I promise."

"Good" she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her and all at once their smooth and gentle kiss turned deep and so very passionate. Jace had never felt anything like this before. The pounding in his chest and that strange sensation in his stomach, it was all so new to him. He'd been with girls, lots of girls, but never had one elicited this type of response from him.

Now kissing Clary and feeling her small pliant body against his, how perfectly she molded to him, he didn't know what the hell he had been doing before without her. She pulled him closer, always closer, as his hands held her face and her lips parted for him. That was all he needed. His hands went from her face to her hips and lower still as he grasped her behind and she gasped into his mouth as a soft shiver raced through her. Jace moaned deep in his throat. God, what was this girl doing to him.

Her hands went under his shirt, tracing all the ridges of his abs before Jace, taking hold of her thighs, hoisted her onto the motorcycle behind him. Her legs wrapped around his waist pulling him into her. His lips left hers as he turned his attention to the delicate skin on her neck placing kisses all over her jaw, nibbling on the skin.

"Jace… my dad could see us here at any moment." She mumbled, her breath leaving her in pants as she spoke.

"Yeah, you're right" he finally removed his lips from her, which was most definitely the hardest thing he had ever had to do.

Planting one more chaste kiss on her lips, he held her waist and lifted her up off of the bike setting her on her feet. Jace reached to the side and picked up the only helmet hanging off the handle bars and handed it to her.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Don't worry babe, I told you I'm an amazing driver."

Clary giggled. "That's right. How could I have forgotten?" then she put on his helmet and he almost passed out because if he thought she looked gorgeous every time he saw her, she looked absolutely drop dead sexy at that moment.

"What?" she asked.

"You look nice." He said and loved the blush that spread across her cheeks. He had meant what he said about liking the color on her. So getting on his bike he waited for her to get on as well before starting the engine and hearing the familiar growl, he had missed it all this time. The bike lurched forward and Clary squealed, her arms tightening around his waist as they exited the garage and the sun's rays shone through.

A large smile was on his face as he zoomed past the front gates and into the streets, feeling Clary behind him and, all in all, she was the only reason he was smiling, Jace knew now that whatever thoughts he had of not falling for her, were gone because however many times he wanted to deny it, he already had.

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Well there it is. I don't know if you guys noticed _**all **_that foreshadowing. I mean there was a whole lot… bucket full's of it.

But in case you didn't, Jace has a very big secrete he's keeping from us and he's only told me! ;D LOL!

Anyway… if you read the last chapter (7) then you know the somewhat detailed explanation of Jace's tattoo, but I'm changing it so if you want to go back and read it, feel free but if not then I will be posting a picture of it on my profile very soon. That is, if I can figure out how to do it. But well if I can get some help with that please PM me when you get a chance… please and thank-you.

Oh and if you didn't notice, I changed Raphael's last name because my friends pointed out how he was supposed to be Hispanic and that was not a Hispanic last name (I'm Cuban and English is my second language so I would know). I will be going back to the previous chapter to fix those boo-boo's.

Bye-bye till next time.


	9. Secrets Untold

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>Hi guys! Okay so I think I should probably start by apologizing since I took a bit of a break from writing after my aunt passed away a few weeks back and didn't really warn anyone. I just wasn't in the mood so if I did try whatever I wrote would more than likely be quite depressing and I think you can still get a bit of the angsty stuff that comes through in this. Anyway, I know this took forever :P but I hope you can understand and not hate me for my SUPER LATE update. Lol… so 'nough chit-chat.<p>

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><p><strong>9. Secrets Untold<strong>

If Clary had originally thought that riding in a convertible was absolutely exhilarating, boy was she wrong. The moment Jace sped out of her house's garage Clary knew that whatever thrills that convertible had provided were nothing compared to the overwhelming excitement she felt at that moment as scenery rushed past in a mixed blur of emeralds and browns. Then Jace began entering the city and the colors of trees and altogether green banished and in its place was the hustle and bustle of New York in the early afternoon and it was amazing.

Clary clung to Jace the entire time, pretty sure that she must've been suffocating him but he didn't complain so her grip remained steady and only tightened when he would suddenly swerve or maneuver around cars like some psycho maniac. She was expecting this though, judging by the way he drove a normal car, she should've guessed that a motorcycle wasn't any better but a girl can only hope.

Let's just say, if Clary weren't practically in love with this man she would've told him to stop at the next intersection so she could get the hell off.

But she didn't, so he drove and drove finding his way around the streets of new York like only a native could and she figured he had probably lived there before and for quite some time too if he could maneuver himself so easily. They passed several dark allies, dark even in mid-morning, until the city, and the buildings in it, disappeared and only open road remained. She could see the thin trees outlining the way; the cement lay hard and threatening before them and despite the cold chill that crept up her spine at the thought of crashing, Clary kept her eyes open and her grip placed firmly on Jace. Nothing at that moment felt more real to her than the feeling of him under her fingers. The firmness of his abs, the scent: spice and danger and man, and the heat that poured from him and seeped into her held all her attention.

Clary had never seen herself as the type of girl to ride in a motorcycle and especially not seated behind a man like Jace. Yet here she was.

Her attention was taken from her thoughts and fantasies as the ground beneath them began to slope upward. Clary looked up only to see more trees and a small path between them.

"Jace," she shouted over the growl of the bike and the sound of the wind "where are we going?"

She could feel the rumble of his laughter before he yelled right back. "You'll see."

Figuring he was most likely not going to tell her she remained silent gripping onto the edges of his leather jacket as they continued speeding down the very narrow lane leading up to the hill. Trees lined the sides and the place seemed mostly deserted. It was slightly romantic. Clary could see the light traces of oranges and yellows peeking from in between the foliage and then it hit her. Jace brought her here for the sunset and my god was it beautiful.

The bike came to a stop in a clearing. Trees still lay behind her but before her was the most breath taking view of the city over the edge of what must have been a cliff but Clary wouldn't dare peek over the edge for fear of falling. Not that she would ever admit it of course. She could see the gold spilling over the horizon as the sun seemed to sink beneath the edge of the earth. Although the view was the very first thing she noticed, a close second was the gazebo sitting in the very center of the clearing and thankfully, for Clary's sake, it wasn't too close to the edge of the cliff.

"Jace…," she breathed "this is beautiful."

He held out his hand to help her off of the bike and Clary took it as he led her towards the gazebo. She removed her helmet and set it near the bike before allowing her gaze to rest on him.

"You know, I haven't danced with you since your sister's wedding." he started "I would really like to dance with you again."

Her breath caught. "But there's no music."

Jace leaned into her, his nose almost touching hers. "Do you underestimate me Clary?"

"Well…" she stretched the word out and watched as he smirked.

"Come on smartass." Clary laughed as he led her to the center of the gazebo and pulled out his- keys…?

She looked at him with a questioning expression plastered on her face. That was until he clicked a small button on what looked like the key to a very expensive car, or motorcycle in this case, and music flooded the space. His bike had a stereo!

Jace pulled her into his arms moving them to the music coming from the stereo connected to the motorcycle. He held her so tenderly, like nothing was more precious.

"What is this place?" she asked.

"Just a spot I used to come to with some old friends. They don't come here anymore."

"But how did you even know it was here?"

"Before leaving for Switzerland I lived in New York and I guess you couldn't keep me in one place back then. I had friends everywhere and _went_ everywhere. "

Clary heard the words he said and turned to look at him. It didn't seem like he had very good memories of his time there. "You didn't like living here?" she asked.

"What makes you think that?"

She hesitated "I can see it in your eyes when you speak of it," Clary placed her hand on his bicep and lightly trailed it down to his hand and back up. "And you're so tense."

He sighed. "Oh… it's not that I didn't like living here it's more like too much happened and so far every good memory I've had here has involved you."

Clary smiled and pulled herself closer to him, pressing their bodies flush, one against the other. "You, Jace Herondale, are a very big charmer."

Jace smirked and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. "Only with you."

"Mmmm hmm, _sure_."

He grasped her face gently and brought her to him. "I don't want anyone but you." His lips came down on hers kissing her so deeply she felt it through her entire body, her being vibrated with the feel of his kisses, the taste of him on her lips.

They danced, goofing around sometimes and other times he would just hold her close as they swayed.

One of her favorite songs came on and Clary giggled. "I love this song." it was ancient and would probably be one of her father's favorites as well but that was why she loved it.

He chuckled. "What, seriously?" she nodded, grinning from ear to ear and felt his arm hold her tighter as his fingers spread on her back. Jace dipped her and Clary let herself go, her head swinging backwards and she felt him lay a kiss on her neck before bringing her back up.

"I didn't know you could dance so well." She gasped.

"I have many talents," Clary could hear the sarcasm loud and clear in his voice— oh wait, not sarcasm, suggestiveness. "Some of which I hope to show you someday."

"Oh god… does your ego know no bounds."

He started to answer until Clary felt him tense. "Clary get behind me." He whispered and it was then that Clary heard the rustling in the trees and noticed the man emerging from the foliage.

He was built a lot like Jace only slimmer, with less hard muscle, but he wasn't taller. Clary mused at how attractive he was; short curly hair and light green eyes, almost hazel, his black gages added a badass touch that Clary knew had probably caused several people to avoid him on a dark street. However, next to Jace, he didn't even compare. "Well, well, well," he said, a menacing edge to his voice "if it isn't the great Herondale himself back from his extended break." _The great Herondale, _what was that all about?

"Hello Eric, I see you're still the same ass you've always been." Jace seemed to know him and of course was nowhere near intimidated by the other man. "I thought you of all people would have moved on from all this at some point."

"You know how it is. Not all of us have a rich daddy to buy us out of this life." Maybe it was just her instincts, call it women's intuition, but Clary really didn't like the image that was forming of Jace in her head because judging by their conversation, Clary figured he was either a school counselor or involved in whatever it was that this Eric person was in. At the moment, she figured it was the latter.

Jace ran his hand, the one that wasn't holding hers, over his face in what Clary could only describe as frustration. "What are you doing here?"

Eric's expression changed, Clary wondered if all the men in New York had suddenly become this bipolar. "What?" he asked. "Aren't you going to introduce that gorgeous girl behind you?" she could nearly feel the heat, the anger, radiating from Jace and thought, for just a moment, how comical he would seem if they were in a cartoon with smoke coming from his ears.

"She's none of your damn business Eric. Now answer my question," he waved his hands in the air as if to say _and hurry before I lose my patience_. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Eric sighed and shifted on his feet before focusing his gaze on Jace's once more. "The guys still come here and they sent me to scout the area. You're damn lucky as shit it was me too, if it had been John he would've probably reported you."

A smirk spread across Jace's face before he started to approach Eric. "I'm glad to see you haven't changed man. I was worried you'd turned into one of them."

"Naw," Eric grinned as they exchanged a handshake and the traditional man-hug "you know I'm not one for conforming to social standards."

"Well I'm glad." He waved to Clary who was still standing at the gazebo and motioned her forward. "Listen, this is my girl, Clary. Clary this is Eric, an old friend." Oh god, she almost swooned at those words, _his girl_. Was that what she was? His girl? God, she didn't know but she wanted to be. More than anything, even if they were in this situation, she still wanted to tell the world that she was his and he was hers.

"Hey" she said, quite hesitantly, the shock still much too prevalent in her mind to allow her to form anything other than single syllable words. "Nice to meet you."

"You too." He said suggestively, throwing a wink her way. Clary barely saw Jace's fist before it hit Eric. "Ow! Shit what was that for?" He scowled at Jace after he had received a nice punch on his arm.

"For checking out my girl you bastard." He laughed but Clary knew he meant it.

"Well, what do you want from …?" a rustling came from the woods lining the sides, the sun had completely sunk below the edge of the earth now and only the light coming from the moon provided any illumination in the space.

It became eerily quiet; Clary could only hear the movement of the branches and felt Jace tense behind her. He had grabbed her and pulled her into him much like before only this time she could tell that Eric was tense as well.

"Crap, listen, you've gotta get going unless you wanna explain why you went Waldo on us for six years." Eric muttered, his eyes glued to the foliage like a child's eyes to a display of fireworks.

"Yeah, thanks again." Jace held onto Clary as if she would be taken from him as they made their way to the bike. He helped her up as questions, so many questions, ran through her mind. Most- she didn't think Jace would answer, others Clary didn't want to think of the response she might receive but knew she would ask regardless because in the end, how bad could said response be?

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Jace was at the brink of self combusting. How stupid could he have been to have brought Clary to the old dealing place? He knew she would love it, and she had, but in the end he was putting her life at risk and he'd be damned if he ever let anything happen to her. Jace himself had tried for years to remove the shame; the knowledge of what he had done so long ago haunted and, at the least expected moment, would suffocate him as thoughts came from every angle. Although he had enjoyed the thrills it provided, he wanted so much more from his life now, more than what killing and drugs could ever provide.

However, now it was too late and the memories assaulted him once more, leaving his mind all too tired. But of course, that was not the end of his problems. He would tell Clary, how could he not, and hope that she would understand, that she wouldn't push him away. There was always the possibility that she may but with the right timing and proper words she just might understand.

She clung to him now, her hands fisted in his jacket and her face buried in his back, and he had never felt better before, had never felt as alive as he felt with her.

Jace would fight for her. He would fight to keep her even if he had to take that man, her fiancé, down to do it. But he pushed those thoughts aside now, focusing only on the road ahead and on the small warm body behind him. They flew down the road and had made it to the city in nearly half the time it had taken them to leave it and in an instant both were back to the front drive of the manor house.

He climbed off the bike and helped Clary as well and while she removed the helmet, he replaced the tarp on the motorcycle and set it back to where it was before.

"Jace," he felt a soft hand rest on his shoulder "are you okay?"

She never failed in surprising him. Here she was asking him if he was okay when he should've been the one asking her. He turned around and met her gaze, the most beautiful green eyes encountering his. "Yeah" he whispered, pulling her into him "I'm fine, you?"

Clary smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason" he answered. _Besides the fact that we almost ran into a street gang_, but he wasn't ready to share that with her just yet.

"Who was that guy…? Eric, that was at the gazebo?"

Jace knew she would ask something to that extent, Clary wasn't stupid. Eric himself was the type of person who would walk into a bank and cause his presence in a place with money to be questioned. Of course Clary would wonder. "He was an old friend."

"Oh, ok." She muttered.

"I'll tell you more some other time ok?"

She nodded before pecking him on the lips and stepping away as she moved closer to the exit of the garage. Jace didn't let her go a step further before his hand shot out and grabbed her around the waist bringing her to his chest.

"Ah, ah, ah where do you think you're going?"

"Inside Jace… you know where our parents are probably waiting for us."

"Exactly, this is why we should enjoy this moment before confronting the villains in our lives." He joked.

Clary giggled and nodded. "Whatever you say."

Jace held Clary close as he steered her towards the exit of the garage before turning her around and letting his gaze absorb every inch of her face. He traced his thumb over the curve of her lip and felt, rather than heard, a soft sigh escape as warm breath washed over him.

He leaned in softly pressing his lips to hers but pulled away much too soon despite his body's pleas to continue holding her, feeling her warm pliant body pressed to him. He knew he couldn't; not with her father and his on the other side of the door.

"We should probably…" he muttered before hearing his voice crack at the end of what was a very unconvincing line. "We should get inside before they catch us."

"Yeah-"she sighed and pulled away. Jace could finally breathe, his mind didn't function when she was so close and he often lost all his senses. His smart words and witty remarks were worthless with her, because she deserved better than that. "Someday we won't have to do this, right?" she asked. "Hide and sneak around, I mean."

"Yes. Someday I'll be able to kiss you whenever I damn well feel like it. "He smirked and held onto her hand for just a few more minutes before the front door appeared in his line of sight and he was forced to release her.

She looked up at him before offering a small smile, which he returned as the door was opened and both stepped inside.

As they moved through the house, the utterly silent house, Jace felt odd, like a thick atmosphere surrounded them completely. Clary stiffened at his side and he caught sight of the reason when he notice her father sitting silently on the couch, button down shirt ironed to perfection, flawless black slacks and a pair of hugely expensive shoes on his feet. While it was obvious that Luke was a man of class, his expression, unlike his clothing, gave nothing away.

"Hello Clary… Jace." he said. Luke directed his attention to him "son, would you please excuse us. I would like to speak with my daughter for a moment?"

"Of course sir," Jace had no choice but to agree even though he wanted nothing more at the moment than to stay and hear whatever conversation Clary and her father were about to have. God, he felt like such a chick at the moment, wanting to catch the latest gossip. "Good evening."

Jace walked out of the room but stopped just when he was no longer visible to either Luke or Clary. He hid behind the wall that led to one of the closets just at the edge of the stairs. But instead of either entering the closet or going up the stairs he pressed his ear against the plaster hearing every word they spoke clearly.

"Hi honey, how was your day?" Luke's voice was soft and only slightly muted as it filtered in through the wall, but it was hard to miss the love in it and if Jace wasn't mistaken, the concern.

"Umm…" she stammered "it was fine I guess."

"Did you get a lot of work done?"

"Yes, I finished everything." He could almost picture her flushed cheeks and fidgeting hands. Although, she wasn't lying; she _had_ finished everything but she'd finished it awhile back.

He heard her father's loud sigh and stiffened. "Why do you lie to me Clary?"

"What?" she breathed.

"You weren't at the office today were you?"

"How… how did you know?"

"I spoke to Hodge earlier; he said you'd turned in the paper work days ago and that you hadn't showed up." His voice lowered an octave before speaking once more. "Neither you or Jace had showed up."

"Daddy I can explain."

But Luke didn't let her explain before his soft voice cut through hers. "What are you doing Clary?" he sounded pained, hurt, like what he was about to say was slowly tearing through him.

"I'm not doing anything dad.

"I can see your eyes when you look at him and I can see the way he looks at you." Jace's chest clenched because he had hoped that he wasn't the only one looking at her in 'that way'. "And it's not the way that one might look at a colleague Clare."

She remained silent once more, not a single sound in the room and so help him he wouldn't be the one to break it.

Luke sighed. "I understand you're not perfect Clary, and you have a right to marry the one you love… but we have a choice to make." He said. "And you have to choose sooner rather than later what it'll be."

Jace held his breath, hoping for the answer he knew he wouldn't get.

"I need you to tell me now before we take this any further," Luke continued. "Are you into the arranged marriage, or do you want me to cancel the wedding?"

Jace could hear Clary's sharp intake of breath before a single word escaped her lips. "Yes" she murmured "I'm in."

He wanted to be mad. He wanted to shout how she couldn't marry that asshat, she didn't belong with Raphael… she belonged with him.

If Jace were being truthful with himself, he would admit that what he wanted most at that moment was to tell her that he loved her. He loved her and he didn't know if he could lose her. But in the end this, this mess, was his fault and there was nothing he could do to get out of it.

But he would try. If it meant that he could keep her, he would find a way out.

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><p>Read and Review:D<p> 


	10. All the Big Things

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>Hi, guys. It's been a while and I have nothing much to say but I just want to warn you that I have been going through a severe case of writer's block so I'm not very pleased with how this turned out. Sorry if it sucked, I sincerely apologize.<p>

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><p><strong><span>10. All the Big Things<span>**

Clary had woken up early Monday morning and showered, dressed then ate breakfast so fast it all passed in a sort of frenzied blur. She couldn't deny that the discussion with her father had zonked her out more than she thought it would. But then again, the subject of her unwanted engagement was a gray area in and of itself, one that she rather ignore than try to face at the moment.

Clary had told Luke last night she was in and, in a way, she was. But the moment she found a way out of that death trap they called matrimony Clary knew that she'd be running so fast they wouldn't see her go. But in that instant, duty called and she knew there was no other choice but to head to the office and confront the demons that waited. But, yesterday had been so perfect, so absolutely perfectly perfect that she was determined not to allow anything to interfere with the pure joy that ran through her like water down a river.

She had spent the day with Jace… she'd actually spent the entire day with him from beginning to end and it had been everything she could have ever imagined. Of course, her brain would just ignore the latter conversation with her father and pretend it had never happened. He hadn't told her anything she didn't already know. Regardless, she'd agreed to the arranged marriage in front of her father and every other influential person in the corporation. Clary took pride in her word and wouldn't go back on it. They wouldn't lose the company. Not because of her anyway.

Yet, that discussion with Luke had happened. There was no denying it.

Shit, she thought, why the hell did she have to have a freaking conscience? Why did she have to keep thinking about the disappointment that would be in her father's eyes if Raphael found out that she was hooking up, or whatever it was he wanted to think, with Jace?

Yeah, she had a pretty good idea of what he would do. Not only would he never agree to marry her but then he would also announce what the great Clarissa had done and then _no one_ will marry her. After that… she could pretty much see her family's hard work slipping through her fingers. Decades of hard work… gone. Because of her.

She pushed aside those horrible thought of marriage and what-not but before she could even catch her breath and form another coherent thought the little red numbers on her clock came into focus and just like that she was jumping off the bed and into her closet to look for clothing. She wanted to look good. Why, you may ask? Clary wouldn't even waste her breath trying to deny that it was all for Jace.

Why bother?

Even if she was going to be staying away from him she still wanted him to look at her, to notice her. She dressed in a tight pencil skirt that reached just about two inches above her knees and wrapped tightly around her upper waist just under her breasts. Then, kept enough buttons open on her blouse to show cleavage. She wasn't Kaelie and she wasn't trying to be, therefore, while the cleavage was there it wasn't what you might see a prostitute on a corner street wear at half past one.

A knock at the door brought her out of her silent musings as the sound ricocheted off the walls. _Jeez_, Clary thought, _you would think someone was trying to break through_. Nonetheless, she went to the door before whoever it was decided they didn't knock loud enough the first time.

Aline stood there with her hand poised in the air prepared to rape Clary's door once more with her brutal knocking.

"This better be good since I…"

"Daddy said he needs you at the office early today." Aline's eyes were wide and she seemed slightly flushed. "I have no idea why except for the fact that it has something to do with a certain Spanish- love- ruining man." The whole thing was spoken in a single breath and Aline, worriless, careless Aline, actually seemed nervous. _That_ made Clary nervous.

"What? What would Raphael have to do at the company?"

"I have no clue Clare." She muttered, voice low as she fidgeted with the hem of her Burberry blouse "You know I'm not well acquainted with all this stick market or whatever it's called corporate stuff you and daddy always go on and on about."

Clary giggled "you mean stock market."

"Yeah that. But who cares anyway, get your ass downstairs now before I get in trouble." Aline grabbed onto Clary's arm holding on for dear life as she dragged her downstairs. Clary thought, for just a moment, how often she had been dragged around these last few weeks… literally and figuratively. Yet she didn't stop Aline and simply followed her lead down the stairs.

At the bottom was her father, prim and proper as always with Mr. Herondale at his side, the old version that is, Clary looked around for Jace but he had obviously already left or was still getting ready upstairs.

"Clary dear," her father spoke first. His voice kind and somewhat sympathetic Clary noticed, though she couldn't understand why. "I'm glad you're prepared. I spoke to Mr. Garcia, Raphael's father, and planned a meeting to address the direction in which the union of both our companies is headed. The meeting is set to within an hour."

"Oh…" she muttered, unsure of what else she should say. "Okay, did Jace leave already?"

"I'm right here." There came a voice from the direction of the kitchen. Deep, sexy, masculine… Jace. And, true to form, there he stood looking so beautiful all Clary wanted at that moment was to run to him and jump in his arms. She knew she couldn't, knew they weren't allowed to act as they had yesterday, but refraining from acting on her less than innocent thoughts and stopping those thoughts were two completely different things. "I thought we could go to work together, since I'm waiting for my new car." He said.

Jace's father turned his attention to his son, yet his face was blank; unfeeling and careless. "I don't know why you would trade the BMW for a motorcycle." He muttered, and Clary thought how unlike his father Jace was. As where Jace enjoyed climbing on motorcycles and racing down desolate roads or dancing on cliff-tops in gazebos with stunning views just feet away, his father preferred a stack of papers and a Microsoft filing program on his over-priced Mac laptop.

"Of course you don't understand. I don't expect you to."

Clary knew the moment she saw the flash in Stephan Herondale's eyes that they would most likely start arguing so before they had the chance she jumped in with the first thing that came to mind. "Well, anyway… Jace and I should get going. I have to… um, get some paper for my… _printer_ and we wouldn't want to be late."

"Very well then," Stephan said "I expect to see you both at the meeting."

"Definitely" she turned to the door hearing Jace's heavy footsteps behind her.

Clary kept her gaze fixed on the exit, her feet moving steadily closer. She truly wished she could make it come nearer, to get out of this house as soon as possible. There was something in her father's eyes as they spoke to Mr. Herondale and he held her gaze, something a lot like disappointment.

She didn't want to see it there but that look just strengthened her resolution. She had to put an end to this thing between her and Jace, for her family… for her heart.

"You know," she felt _someone's_ warm breath flowing over the sensitive skin of her neck "it's safe if you blink, the door won't disappear."

"Ha-ha, very funny." Clary carefully moved away. She couldn't handle having him so close, feeling the warmth of him, it was all too much. "It's not my fault I need to get out of here before the tension suffocates me." She whispered harshly.

"Yeah, ok." He mumbled "But I mean, why the hell did you jump in back there." he said just as they reached the door and stepped outside out of hearing range "I don't need you fighting my battles. I'm a big boy you know."

A light blush spread across her cheeks as her thoughts turned to certain parts of him that were probably quite large. Jace's deep chuckle brought her out of her head.

"Wow, who would've thought Ms. Goody-two-shoes-corporate-CEO had a naughty side."

"What?" great, if she wasn't as red as her hair then the sky wasn't blue. It was like he knew just what she was thinking. "What are you talking about?"

Jace smirked.

Holy crap, if there was ever a smirk that would cause women to stop, drop and roll it would be that one. Roll with him… in a bed that is. Or anywhere really…

God, Clary had to stop thinking about him like this if she planned on staying away. "Come on, you just got this really weird look on your face that said it all."

"Really?" she asked "what did it say?" she knew she was probably digging herself a deeper grave but her own pride would never allow him to have the last word; and so she held her head up high and met his gaze with her own. Clary noticed a shift in his posture and he stepped closer pressing their chests together.

Jace towered at least eight inches over her five feet four inches. "That you want me."

"Oh lord, could you be any more conceded?"

"Come on, you know you can't resist this."

"Oh, I think I can."

"Doubt it but if you say so I'll take that as a challenge." He said and turned around to walk towards the passenger seat.

"Jace," Clary called before he could reach the door "last night when we came back…" she started and the sexy smirk fell off his lips "I spoke to my father and he said that-"

"I know what he said." Jace interrupted. He moved back towards her "I overheard."

"We can't keep on doing this to each other."

"Doing what exactly, Clary?"

"Last night, the night before that, oh and the copy room." She said, counting off on her fingers all the times they had been a little too friendly with each other. "This can't go past a business relationship, for both our sakes."

"Why? What are you so scared of?" he said and then with a mocking tone to his voice added "that you'll lose your money, that they'll take away the company. Or maybe that your daddy will be upset or is it that…?"

"That I'll fall in love with you!" she shouted cutting him off mid sentence, how could she make him see all the frustration she felt, the unrelenting confusion over what she wanted and what was expected from her? Did he not see how much she wanted to climb on top of some table in the middle of the office and just tell everyone to go screw themselves because for most of her life she's been doing everything perfectly… she'd done everything they ever asked of her.

In the end all she wanted at that moment was to hit something and since he was the closest target she raised her fists to his chest and pushed him back with all the frustration she felt. Of course, Jace was pure rock hard muscle and her shove, although unexpected, only pushed him a couple inches and his backside hit the side of her car.

Clary landed on his chest as Jace's entire posture shifted, his eyes softened and his lips parted as if he wanted to say something but instead inhaled a sharp breath.

Golden eyes fixed firmly on hers; he grabbed the top of her arms and flipped her over so she was now under him instead of the other way around. "Why is that such a scary thought?" he was so close. The blonde tendrils of his hair swept across her forehead, and his nose nearly touched hers.

She wanted to kiss him again, but Clary wouldn't dare, if she did, this would never end and in five months her heart would break and he would waltz out of her life while she'd be left behind in pieces. After all, Jace was a womanizer. He was beautiful and strong and hard in all the right places, girls fawned over him and every single female at the office practically undressed him with their eyes.

Sure, he'd been sweet and gentle and passionate every time they'd been together, but weren't all men like that until they got what they wanted? "Come on Jace, don't act cute. You know why."

"I thought we were going to get passed that."

"There is no getting passed it, there are no loop holes in this and I'm not going to risk losing the corporation." She sighed "if Raphael found out…"

"No one has to know." he argued.

"If you really heard last night you would know that my father already knows, if he knows, what's stopping Raphael from finding out as well?"

"Your father doesn't know… he suspects." Jace said pulling away from her. Clary inhaled deeply, the air was almost free of his scent allowing her to finally clear her foggy thoughts.

"It's close enough." Clary pulled her keys out and climbed into the car. "You coming?" she turned to Jace.

"Yeah." He climbed in and the moment he was in the seat one of his smirks spread across his face.

"What are you smirking about?" she asked, now slightly worried because Jace, of all people, should not be smirking.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he chuckled.

"You know what, I'd rather _not_ know."

He said nothing after that and the ride to the corporation offices was silent for the most part with the exception of the incessant honking of cars. However, the moment she had parked in her assigned parking space Jace leapt out and seconds later so did she and immediately after closing her door he was there holding her firmly against it- not that she was complaining of course.

"By the way Clary," he whispered in her ear as he leaned in. "if you think I would give up that easily… then you should know one thing about me- I'm not a quitter baby." He smirked before walking away leaving her stunned and gaping open mouthed at his back… and very sexy rear.

At that very moment Clary thought that perhaps there truly was a certain… je ne sais quoi, about cars that just makes you want to press people up against them.

000000000000-00000000000

Jace strode into the tall, lavish building, with his head held high while doing his best to ignore the sparks shooting through his body. His whole life had been about work and then, in the afterhours, he'd enjoyed his fair share of women, but as cliché and excessively feminine as it may sound, none had ever made him feel this rushing sensation. The pounding in his ears and the beating of his moronic heart were never present with any other women. None except for Clary.

"Hi Jace." He heard a high pitched squeal-like voice come from the front desk that Kaelie attended and internally winced.

On the outside however, he winked at her "Hello Kaelie." He continued walking hoping she would take the hint that he was in no way interested in speaking… to her of all people.

But her voice still punctured through the room and his eardrum when she said "I'm going to a party this weekend…" he was almost at the elevator doors by then and Kaelie's voice raised an octave (or ten) as if to catch his attention. "You wanna join me?"

Jace stopped for a moment and turned around giving her his best smirk, the one that had been known to make women swoon every time. And, as soon as he did so, she blushed and her eyes widened. "Sorry," he said "I'm busy." After adding a final glance and a wink, he was gone through the double doors of the elevator, heading straight in the direction of his office, he was truthfully hoping for at least some alone time. To clear his head, get his thoughts in order or pretend that he was okay—Jace wasn't sure which was the reason and frankly didn't care but his day with Clary yesterday made him want to go out, gather a few 'friends' and find Raphael so he could beat him into next year, thus insuring that he would keep his Hispanic ass away from his girl.

Jace flinched from his own thoughts… if that were even possible. How could he have called Clary 'his girl'? the fact that she was engaged and constantly pressured into sacrificing the unthinkable for her family's corporation should have been enough for him to realize that getting too close to her would result badly—and it had. He had fallen in love, and his day yesterday was in no way helping his heart.

But as he opened the big wooden door to his office, he came across something else that probably wouldn't help his heart either… his father sitting in _his _desk like he owned it.

The door swung shut with a loud thump. Stephan's eyes shot up from the file he was looking at and Jace caught the look in them—one of pure anger. "I think you walked into the wrong office father." he mocked.

"Don't be a moron now Jace, we have some serious problems." Jace raised an eyebrow at his father, prompting the other man to speak "That bastard! Graymark finally got his daughter a proposal for marriage."

"What?" his blood ran cold and his heart stopped beating for a second. How was it possible that Clary was properly engaged already? Everyone had known it would happen eventually… but it was never for certain. Come to think of it, he hadn't even seen a ring on her finger nor had she said a word about it. "When did Garcia propose?"

"The proposal date was arranged beforehand. It is meant to be done before the company leaders." Stephan muttered. He held up a sheet of paper with what seemed like a letter addressed to Luke written on it. A company logo stood elegantly on the right hand side of the page. It wasn't Graymark incorporated though—it was Garcia's company. "The meeting that has been set up this morning is to complete the proposal and to ensure that the officials approve of the union."

"Ok, so what do we do now?" Jace knew he shouldn't be involving himself with this dilemma any further than he already was, yet the prospect of allowing the girl of his dreams to wed someone that wasn't him was just… there were no word to describe the frustration.

"You step up your game." His father said simply "seduce her, get caught by Raphael himself, Mr. Garcia, I don't care just make sure that there is no wedding."

Jace nodded, not wanting to blackmail Clary but wanting to lose her even less.

A chiming sound filled the momentary silence and Mr. Herondale picked up his phone and glanced at the screen. "That was my alarm," he sighed "the meeting is about to begin." Stephan rose from his seat and walked to the door, Jace trailing behind him.

After walking down a few hallways, the huge oak double doors of the conference room finally came into view and Jace took a deep breath knowing that what was to come was sure to be difficult. He'd just have to control his temper long enough to avoid killing Raphael for having the nerve to propose to his girl.

000000000000-00000000000

Clary stood by the conference room door trying to conjure up the strength to walk inside. Yet, there was a strange feeling in her chest, and call her crazy, but as of now, whenever this feeling began she already knew it was never a good sign. This was why she stood like a paralytic, unmoving and utterly horrified.

She had to walk in eventually, she knew, yet, Clary found that the prospect of being told she had to do something else against her will was immensely unappealing. However, the sight of Mr. Herondale rounding the corner forced her feet forward and summoning all of her will power; she lifted her hand and opened the door. Nearly everyone was already there, a large array of files lay before each person, but it was the dark eyes in the far corner of the room that caught her attention. Raphael's eyes.

He was staring at her—actually staring in that eerie way people make fun of, a knowing glint in his eyes as if he was aware of something she wasn't… and it was creeping her the hell out.

Clary turned her gaze away from his and took her seat as everyone began filing into the large conference room. Chairs filled up quickly and she noticed Jace sit down a few away from her and finally her father and Mr. Herondale stepped up to the front of the room.

"As you all may know," he began. Yet unlike she had expected, it wasn't her father who was speaking, it was Mr. Herondale and to Clary, it seemed like he was single-handedly taking over for her father before there was even a wedding between Raphael and Clary. "About a month ago it was announced that Clarissa must wed in order to inherit this company that we all hold dear. And it seems that she has managed to find a possible candidate. Raphael Garcia."

He waved his hand and Raphael and his father stood up, walking to the front of the room.

Clary was beginning to get comfortable when her name was called by her father. "Would you mind joining us up here?" He said and as much as she wanted to say _nope, I'm fine where I am_, she knew she wasn't allowed.

Clary stood up and took her place beside Raphael who turned to look at her with a miniature smirk across his face.

And there was the creepy again, she thought and her mind drifted to happier times as she heard Mr. Garcia begin speaking about some sort of union, which she now realized should have set off a few alarms but her mind was too far off in lala land for her more rational side to have taken notice of anything besides the way Jace looked today in his suit. It wasn't the knowing looks she was receiving from her coworkers and it wasn't the smiles on their faces as they stared at her and Raphael standing side by side that drew her attention… no, it was at the moment that Raphael took her hand that the final words that Mr. Garcia was speaking came into focus.

"—would like to announce their engagement in front of each and every one of you who have been most influential to Graymark incorporated."

'Holy shit' were the first words that passed through her mind and the second set of words were 'fuck my life' when she saw Raphael get down on one knee and place a ring on her finger… no questions asked. Sure the diamond was quite big but Clary found it to be the single most hideous thing she had ever seen but obviously everyone else seemed thrilled as they stood up and clapped.

Everyone except for Jace that is. His face held the fakest smile she had ever seen him wear and his eyes were completely blank of any emotion, it probably looked a lot like the expression she wore—a smile plastered on her face like a layer of makeup and the effort she was putting into keeping her eyes happy was probably failing miserably. Which was why in that moment, finding a way out of this engagement was no longer an option… no, it was a necessity.


	11. The Thing with Feathers

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2013. Please does not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>Finally finished this! Yaaay! Hip-Hip hoorah! *cue trumpets* *crowd does standing ovation*<p>

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><p><strong>11. The Thing with Feathers<strong>

_Hope is the thing with feathers_

_That perches in the soul,_

_And sings the tune without the words,_

_And never stops at all._

_~Emily Dickinson_

The past week had been difficult for Jace.

No, not difficult, that was the understatement of the century. A better word would've been impossible. Utterly and completely impossible in every sense of the word. Watching Clary with that prick was harder than he thought it would be and it didn't help that Raphael was too damn touchy feely for Jace's taste.

One particular occasion wouldn't leave his mind and the memory alone had him clenching his fists, his teeth grinding against each other with the urge to pummel the bastard.

About two days ago Jace had been on his way to fax some papers and the copy room that he, conveniently, chose was pretty close to Clary's office, although if anybody asked he would've said it had nothing to do with her, after all, that particular copy room did have his favorite faxing machine.

Nonetheless, as he passed by her office the sound of voices floated out to him and he stopped just outside her door.

"Raphael, I don't want to talk about this now" he heard her voice slightly muffled by the wooden door and she sounded nervous. That alone perked his hearing and pretty soon he was nearly pressed up against the wood listening attentively for any sign that she might need his help getting the f*cking leech off of her. "Just go, I'm not ready for any of this."

"That's why I shouldn't go." Raphael's voice was barely audible, as if he were whispering, but Jace caught it regardless "I can help you… get used to this."

"I said no…" but Jace didn't wait to hear any more before barging into the room as charmingly as he could, since barging usually wasn't done with much grace.

Once inside he caught sight of Clary in Raphael's arms, her hands pressed against his chest trying to distance herself, her big, beautiful green eyes wide and her red hair falling out of her carefully constructed up-do. The sight almost drove him over the edge. "I think you should go Rodriguez." Jace snarled, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes narrowed.

Raphael chuckled "Mr. Herondale, I was just leaving." He dropped his arms from around Clary's small frame and stalked towards the door. Yet, just as he was about to leave he turned back around and glanced at her "we'll talk some more later." He winked and as he stepped outside his shoulder bumped Jace's.

And that was just one of the several run-ins he'd had with him and it was because of all the weeks' occurrences plus the emotions bubbling within him: his hatred towards Raphael and the situation they were in and his ever-growing feelings for Clary, that he was now in the company library. He wasn't his ideal library, being that this particular library was completely devoid of a fiction shelf but it would serve his purpose.

Over the last few days Jace had kept a close eye on his father, listening in to every word he spoke with an associate and any telephone conversation he may be having, keeping his ears open because he just knew the man knew something he didn't, something nobody else knew.

The first couple days gave no hint of anything but just the day before he'd overheard Stephan mention a book that "held the key to his success." Jace didn't know why this sparked his interest but the fact that something in his head told him to check it out was all he needed to be in this library. His eyes trailed the shelves, so many endless shelves.

The library was a round room, spherical with shelves that circled its perimeter and a dome-like roof. Diminutive tables were arranged around the area and a large desk placed in the very center.

However, Jace quickly noticed that the books here weren't the type to be read like story books, they were volumes upon volumes of rules, regulations and history he knew would be impossible to get through in the, give or take, four months left before Clary's wedding.

With that in mind, he knew just who he needed to get and Jace walked out of the room with a tiny mischievous smile over his lips.

000000000000-00000000000

One week had passed since what Clary now dubbed as "The Catastrophe", had occurred and preparations for an engagement party were in full swing. Everywhere she looked the manor was overrun with flowers of every kind, cake preparations and dress designs. Not to mention that her sinuses were going wild with the atrocious overwhelming stench that roses gave off.

It was all just bad. This was never what she pictured her wedding to be—she hated roses, hated all the dress choices they were giving her to choose from but overall, she hated the groom was an overbearing ass-hat.

During the past week she had figured it might be a smart choice to get to know the man even though he gave her a bad vibe from the start.

Turns out, her 6th sense was right on target.

Raphael, for some reason—and maybe it was just that she didn't like him _period_—seemed to always be planning something, concocting some sort of plan, constantly looking at her in the wrong way and just being downright rude. More than once Jace had to step in and set him straight when he tried to get a bit too touchy feely. Apparently, some men thought that just because there was a diamond on your finger and a wedding on the way, they were allowed to touch whenever they felt the need arise. This—Clary thought—was preposterous.

Nonetheless, her week had been utterly terrible and now she sat in her stuffy office yearning for the chance to get out, to ride a motorcycle and feel the breeze sweep past her face or go to some deserted hill-top … to be held and kissed and wanted by the only man she desired.

Good god, she needed a break… ASAP! After all, it wasn't as if she was actually helping to solve anything by sitting on her office chair sulking all day.

With a new purpose in mind, Clary stood up, straitened her skirt and walked toward the door but just as she was about to grab the door knob it began to twist on its own. _What the hell_, she thought scrunching her brows and staring at the knob as if it would speak to her… like the one she'd seen on 'Alice in Wonderland'. Still, it turned all the way and before she had the chance to react, or at least step back, the door was flinging open… and smacking her… right—in—the—face.

She went sprawling onto her back, hands braced and legs spread in a subconscious effort to distribute her weight. To add to her embarrassment of being sprawled out on the floor, her legs wide open like an offering, Jace sauntered in, looked around the room and upon not seeing her, his brows drew together and a confused expression took over his face. That is, until his gaze darted to the floor, to her desk and then back to the floor before his eyes widened and he chuckled staring at her, the gold in his eyes darkening slightly.

"I always knew I'd get you on your back someday." He smirked.

Clary blushed furiously, rushing to get on her feet once more. "Ha-ha" she mocked and stepped away from him. "Why are you here?" yeah, that's it, she thought, just cut to the chase. Don't look at him more than is absolutely necessary.

"Your father sent me to fetch you." He said.

"Oh," she muttered "since when are you his messenger boy?"

Jace laughed, deep and husky, and Clary realized it was the single sexiest sound she had ever heard. "I'm not. He needed someone to tell you and I offered."

"Ok, so where did he say to go?"

"I'll take you." With a small smile on his lips and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, Jace led her out the door and into the hall.

As always, the halls were bustling with people walking to and fro, files grasped in their hands and, for a moment, she wondered why her father hadn't just phoned for her with the secretary. Hell, that was what they paid that tramp for regardless, the least she could do is to actually do her job for a change instead of sleeping with all the interns. _Never mind_, Clary thought, might as well just go with Jace.

He hadn't really spoken to her in the past week except when he was defending her, which had turned Clary's insides to jelly and had caused her to lose yet another chunk of her heart to him, and she hated it. She hated that the only reason he was here was because her father wanted to see her, she hated that he'd practically been evading any contact unless they were in a room full of people and overall, Clary was just majorly pissed that every fiber of her being seemed to be rejoicing at Jace's proximity.

And it was with this last little thought that she had to—literally—smack herself across the head for her increasingly pathetic feelings. How desperate could she get? What happened to the fully independent women who needed no one but herself? What happened to CEO Clary, where was 'no man needed' Clarissa. She was turning into one of those damned desperate hussies that'd give anything for ten seconds of a man's attention.

"You ok?" Jace asked.

Clary's head shot up and her eyes widened. Crap, he'd seen that. "Huh?" she asked.

"Well, you just kinda… hit yourself" he pointed to her forehead "across the head there."

"Oh, there was a… uh… there was a fly—on my head." She muttered.

"Right…" Jace didn't say much more only quickened his pace and walked even further in front of her and Clary, loosing herself to her thoughts once again, didn't even notice that he was already a good ten feet away. That is until his footsteps faded entirely and she couldn't feel his presence at her side. Then, she looked around.

"Jace?" she asked the air "where are you?"

But no one answered and she only felt like an epic moron for talking to herself. "Jace!?" nothing, plus, people were beginning to stare as if she had lost it.

Great! How was she supposed to know where to go now?

Take a guess? No, it wouldn't be proper for the next CEO to walk into the wrong room. Only one option left then—go to Luke's office and hope and pray that he was there.

And so it was with this in mind that Clary took off in the direction of her father's office waving when she saw a familiar face while maintaining a speedy pace.

She passed about two offices and was walking for a grand total of three minutes before a hand shot out, seemingly from nowhere, and practically dragged her into a room. Clary couldn't see anything, not the space she was in or who had dragged in, not even her own hand which she held before her face trying as best she could to keep her balance.

Darkness was everywhere, her vision overrun by it as panic seeped into every pore of her body. As a child she had been taught self-defense because, being as wealthy as she was, kidnap and the like were always a possibility. Yet, who takes a self-defense class seriously when in truth, Clary never went out and was surrounded by people at all hours of the day. But here she was, stuck in a freaking pitch black room in her family's own office building.

Holy shit!

All coherent thought left her mind the minute a firm body pressed against hers. She could feel the stiff lapels of a suit and the over ironed material of a dress shirt, but, when her searching hands landed on the broad shoulders of a man obviously much, much taller than her and another set of hands came to rest on her waist, a single word was left behind—rape. And suddenly, leaving no time to think, she screamed. It was the type of scream you'd hear in an oldies horror movie and at any other moment in time it would have been something she'd laugh at but now she just wanted to get out. There was no way in hell Clarissa Fray Graymark was going to be raped.

However, before Clary really had a chance to do anything one of the hands braced over her waist, clasped above her mouth. It was male… hard and callused and, somehow, strangely familiar, so it was no surprise when warm breath washed over her collarbone and gentle lips came to rest at her ear.

"I didn't know you liked it loud baby." Jace whispered. _Must everything always be sexual with this guy,_ she thought.

"Jesus Christ Jace! You nearly gave me a stroke!"

He chuckled—the bastard—and reached to the side just behind her as muted light flooded the room.

It was a storage closet, piled high with spare boxes of paper everywhere she looked, of course, there weren't many places _to_ look being that the room was hardly a room at all. Hell, the thing they were in was less a room and more of a hole in the wall with a door put in for good measure. She felt so tightly packed with Jace leaning over her, his eyes bright and smoldering, his hair falling slightly onto his forehead and that signature smirk on his perfect lips.

"Who did you think it was?" he questioned "your vile fiancé?"

"Oh, shut up," she scolded, lightly punching his arm "I thought you were a rapist!"

Jace chuckled and hooked his finger under her chin, raising her face up to his ""I'm sorry" he muttered "I didn't think this through."

Crap, Clary thought, how was she supposed to stay mad at him when his eyes were burning into her in _that_ way? When their lips were so near and his breath was washing over her, warming her from the inside out? "It's fine," she mumbled, getting slightly sidetracked by the way his lips curved upwards "although, next time I'd prefer it if you could ask nicely." Clary realized that she was whispering, the atmosphere in their 'closet' had changed drastically and… holy hell, was it just her or did someone turn down the A/C.

She needed to get her thoughts straight, needed to stop thinking about all the ways she wanted to be kissed and focus on more important matters, like keeping him away from her heart— she tried to convince herself to step back for this very reason, but then he moved closer and everything seemed to fade as his body pressed harder into hers, gluing her to the wall.

The palm of his hand spread on the surface behind her head as his arms caged her in. "I'll keep that in mind…" he murmured "next time…" his mouth moved closer, eyes solely focused on her lips "I want to see you…" Jace was so close now, so tantalizing-ling close but continued speaking regardless. "in a dark storage closet." His golden eyes focused on her green ones, searching—for what?—Clary didn't know and as he came closer, she realized it truly didn't matter because the look on his face said it all and pretty soon there was no space left between them at all and her breath seemed to be speeding up and so did his … and then, she knew that this could go no further.

"Jace…" she breathed, it was so weak, so feeble that the corners of his lips lifted almost teasingly as if to say 'I know you want me, don't deny it' "don't…"

"Don't what?"

"Don't do this."

"Do what?" she realized he was most definitely teasing now but the deep huskiness in his voice overrode most of her more intelligible thoughts.

"Don't—don't kiss me." She muttered and felt his lips glide across her cheek and trail down to her neck.

Jace nibbled on the soft skin there and his teeth lightly scraped over the more sensitive spot and, good lord god almighty, did she just want to melt into a big puddle of goo.

"And don't…" Clary gulped when his warm breath blew over the much too sensitive skin "do _that_…either."

Jace chuckled and pulled away seeming completely unaffected and fully in control, which she knew she wasn't and for that reason alone a scowl slipped over her features when his eyes focused on her.

"You really shouldn't have done that." She mumbled.

"I won't apologize for it," Jace said "if that's what you want."

Clary looked up at him, focused her gaze on his golden eyes realizing almost instantly that no… she truly didn't want him to apologize. She'd never acknowledge an apology because doing so meant regret and if there was one thing she didn't regret, never would regret, it was these few minutes in abandoned closets. Spur of the moment situations even thoughts of her father couldn't invade.

"No, I don't want you to apologize" Clary finally answered.

Jace smiled and, wrapping his arms around her, pulled Clary into him. "Why can't I keep my hands off of you?"

It was a rhetorical question, she knew, but answered anyway. "Because I'm so damn sexy" it was a phrase so out of character for her, one she'd never normally say but then again hiding out in a storage closet with Jace was out of character as well and she was already doing that.

"I must be rubbing off on you" he smiled "that just sounded more like one of my lines than one of yours."

Clary smiled (she hadn't really smiled in a while) and pushed aside the notion that she had something to do, somewhere she needed to be and just allowed herself a few minutes of being held in his arms. "I guess I should probably stop hanging around you so much."

She pushed off his chest, pulling herself away from him and felt his arms tighten, pressing her small frame flush against him, her hands pressed against the hard, defined contours of his chest. "No way in hell" he said "am I allowing you out of my sight" Jace looked down at her seeming so happy and carefree until his eyes darkened and his grin disappeared "not with that bastard fiancé of yours on the loose"

"good." Clary sighed. She didn't want to be out of his arms, much less completely out of sight. "I like it that way." With her head still on Jace, she absorbed the comfort that his firm embrace provided, the warmth that rolled off his body was wonderful and the scent of him seemed to make all her worries fade.

It was odd, she realized, this feeling one gets when they fall in love (not that she was falling in love—because she really couldn't afford to). The strange desire to be near that one person every waking moment, spending an abnormal amount of time before closets and mirrors blindly searching for that one item of clothing, the one imperceptible, nearly insignificant detail that would make all the difference. it was pathetic, she knew, but Clary couldn't stop wanting him, couldn't keep any part of her from wanting him. She saw it all in her head. She would just stomp up to him, grab the collar of his shirt and pull him into her, kissing him until neither one of them could…

She stopped her thinking as one might a horse going full speed ahead into a concrete wall and with these warm and fuzzy thoughts no longer floating through her mind, Clary's eyes drifted unseeing around the room, the way one does when they are too distracted by conflicting thoughts and emotions and took in every small detail, but not really. That is, until her gaze landed on a box.

It wasn't the box that truly caught her attention; so much as the paper taped on it, or better yet, what the paper said. "Important Documents" was printed in bold font on a regular sheet of white printer paper. How odd, Clary thought, that a box of important documents would be in a storage closet. She ought to show them to her father. he could very well need them someday and there was always a chance that she'd forget...

Her father! Holy crap, she forgot all about her father.

"Jace, dad was looking for me!" Clary quickly took her head off his chest, pulling herself away from the warmth of his arms and heading for the door. She must have been in that closet for well over fifteen minutes. Her father must be furious.

But as she turned the knob to exit their too-small-to-be-a-closet closet, Jace's hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her back. Clary stumbled and would've fallen flat on her ass had it not been for his arm tightly pulling her against him once more.

"Actually" he smirked "I lied"

She tried to pull away but his hand remained firm on the small of her back. "Lied about what exactly?" Clary narrowed her eyes suspiciously and Jace, at least, had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Luke isn't looking for you." He shrugged and Clary was pretty sure, if she were the violent type, she would've murdered him. "I just needed to speak to you."

"And I'm guessing that just saying 'Clary can we talk' would've been too difficult" she chided, raising both brows (because she never could raise just one) and staring him down.

"Not too difficult, just no fun," He teased. "And besides you're going to like what I'm about to tell you."

"Oh really?" Clary was truly curious now "what would that be?"

"I overheard my father saying something about a book" he said looking at her expectantly as if awaiting an exclamation of something akin to '_Wow! That's amazing. Do tell more!_'

"That's great Jace." Clary figured her voice was probably pretty devoid of interest. But hey, what did he expect when he's here talking about Mr. Herondale's latest read, "ask him if he enjoyed it."

Jace rolled his eyes and smiled. Clary figured the later was mostly for her benefit. "no, I mean my dad knows a lot about all these corporate rules and I realized that most of these old rules have loopholes." As Jace spoke realization set in and Clary began to see his point "They're kept track of in one of the thousands of books in the corporate library"

"Oh my god, why didn't I think of that. We can search through all the volumes and one of them has to say something about corporate CEOs and title inheritance."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. If we were to spend some time after work, once most people have left, we can search through them." Clary was smiling now, undeniable hope surging through her at the thought that perhaps there was an easier way out of this than she'd originally expected.

"Ok." She whispered and Jace smiled his own genuine, hope filled smile.

He bent down to her and for a moment, Clary thought he would kiss her, but instead he turned his head at the last moment and his lips landed at her ear before he murmured "I'm not giving you up" hot breath blew over her neck, tingles erupting on her skin from the sensation "not now, not ever." Jace placed a tiny kiss just below her ear and on that note, he pushed the door open, ushering her out. "See you tonight."

Clary walked down the hall slightly dazed, one thought and one promise on the forefront of her mind… tonight was sure to be very enlightening.

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><p>AN: I hope you all enjoyed that and the next update will be ASAP. I PROMISE.

Anyway, I'm going to start a new thing here, if you guys leave a review I'll send you a snippet of the next chapter. Make sure you aren't reviewing on anonymous because then I won't know who to PM the snippet to.

Ta-Ta for now.


	12. Makes Me Weak

**Disclaimer: I do not own mortal instruments, the character names are owned by Cassandra Clare. The original content, ideas and intellectual property of this story are owned by lily fierce, 2011-2012. Please do not copy, reproduce, or translate without express written permission.**

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><p>Hello lovely peoples! Thank you guys so much for all your reviews and here's a new chapter, although this one didn't take as long as the last one :D<p>

I have finals this week and i know I should be studying for my algebra final, but I hate math so much… I just can't handle looking at another equation made of letters! (Someone should tell these people you can't subtract X from Y.)

Anyway, sorry for that, read on!

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><p><strong>12. Makes Me Weak<strong>

Love you will find

Only where you may show yourself weak

Without provoking strength.

-Theodor Adorno

Someone once said, and Clary couldn't really remember who, that "Patience is power. It waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way." This person, god bless their soul, must've been insane because patience wasn't power; it was a shorter word used to replace the very lengthy phrase 'I have nothing better to do so I shall sit here and wait'. In other words, at the moment, patience was Clary driving herself up the wall waiting for tonight to come, waiting for every single snail-like individual to get the hell out of the office so she could be with Jace… and of course look for the darn book that would signify her freedom from these chains of captivity otherwise known as marriage.

Patience was a stupid word anyway.

A knock sounded at the threshold startling her out of her thoughts and drawing her gaze to the large wooden door. The office was about twenty minutes from closing and nearly everyone had left, so why anyone was knocking down her door was a wonder to Clary.

"Come in." she spoke loudly so the person on the other side could hear. To her surprise, and utter displeasure, the door opened and there stood Raphael with his black hair slicked back and a disgusting glint in his eyes. She wanted to groan with the misery and bitter reminders now coursing through her blood like poison. Wanted to, not so politely, tell him to piss off. Yet, some sensible, mature part of her realized that having a plan does not mean much in the world of business and that, for the moment, she was entirely powerless.

"_Mi amor_," Raphael's Spanish lilt was seductive and low… and it completely disgusted her. "Are you coming with me tonight? You know you can't avoid the inevitable forever." _Perhaps_, she thought, _but if I can avoid it for now, that will be all the relief I need_.

"Raphael, when have I ever gone anywhere with you?" she questioned.

He stepped towards her, reaching out his hands as if to caress her arms, her face—god forbid other parts of her—and Clary desperately wanted to step back but she wouldn't dare. She refused to show him any hint of weakness, of fear, she wasn't weak. She was Clarissa f*cking Graymark, and she was strong.

"we can start this instant _nena_" he had reached her now and his hands were trailing down her arms, beginning at her shoulder blades and tracing down to her fingers before starting all over again. "I can show you a really good time."

"I told you I didn't like you touching me." Clary was aware of the tell-tale trembling in her voice and of the condescending expression on his face as she tried to pry his fingers off her skin. "I don't feel comfortable."

He just smirked as if amused by her words "you can stop playing 'hard to get' now, you know. Nobody's fooled by it."

Clary ignored his comment and shook his slimy fingers off her body before stalking to her desk and sitting in her armchair, feeling much safer now behind the wall of wood. "If you just came to harass me I suggest you get out before I have security take you out."

But Raphael didn't seem eager to go anywhere near the door he'd just come in through, instead choosing to step towards her desk "I know you—"

But he didn't finish before the door was busting open and a furious Jace stepped into the room, holding the door agape as an invitation to Raphael. Jace didn't speak, his lips pressed into a hard line and his eyes were vacant, but she saw. She saw the fire burning in his gaze, the flames sparking onto the gold, melting it into a pool of molten fire.

And through all this Clary felt pure unadulterated relief, her breath slowed considerably, her heart calmed and her hands, which rested on her lap and had been shaking profoundly, were now motionless over the smooth fabric of her skirt. She wasn't prepared for the emotions that flowed through her body at Jace's appearance and if she hadn't been sitting, it would've surely knocked her onto her knees.

"Hello Jonathan, I'm afraid we were having a conversation, if you could just wait outside the door."

"I don't know what you were discussing… don't particularly care," Jace remained calm and composed, his stance that of someone who was accustomed to dealing with unwanted pests. "But I suggest you leave."

"Mr. Herondale, you and I seem to always take off on the wrong foot." Raphael said, he smirked and a line of glinting white teeth shone through his lips.

"Pretty soon you won't have any feet to take off on if you don't get the hell out of here."

Raphael just chuckled lightly and seemed to decide that an argument with Jace wasn't worth his time when he strutted to the door like a proud peacock stopping inches away from him, obviously wanting to have the last word, and muttering loud enough for Clary to hear "your threats are amusing." A final laugh and the door boomed shut nearly hitting Raphael on his way out.

Clary's gaze raced to the other figure in the room, trained her eyes on him and hoped that his would meet hers, that she could offer him some sort of comfort, a reassurance that she was alright. But his gaze was focused on the door, fists clenched at his side.

"Jace?" she said, barely above a whisper "are you ok?"

"I should be asking _you_ that."

"I'm fine. I was fine before you barged in like hell was on fire." Clary was only partially lying, she _was_ fine, and after all, Raphael wasn't going to try anything. She was almost sure of it.

"Were you?" he asked "because it seemed to me like you were hiding behind your desk."

Clary stood up in a flourish, her eyes narrowed as she walked around the desk and stood before the man that made her feel so many things. "I wasn't…"

But he didn't let her speak, stepping towards her, crowding around her body, but never touching her "and Clary… if you think that desk would've stopped him…"

"I don't think my desk would've done anything!" She interrupted, desperate to get just a few words in. she needed to let him know, needed to make sure he recognized that she wasn't vulnerable, she didn't want him to play the hero in her life, she was her own hero!

"God damn it Clary!" Jace exploded. He grabbed her arms squeezing, shaking her just enough to push every other thought out of her mind. "You're so naïve. You're so blind. Can't you see?"

She gaped at him with blank, bewildered eyes, wanting to speak but incapable of removing her attention from Jace's golden stare.

"Raphael wants you and he's the type of man that gets what he wants" Jace exhaled, his energy seemed to escape through that one puff of air "I can't… I couldn't bear it if—I mean…" his head dropped and the tangled mess of words halted.

Clary couldn't help herself, she was defenseless against the emotions he caused. She could feel her chest expanding and, good god, what was wrong with her?

She walked to him on shaky limbs, placing her hand on his slightly stubbly cheek and Jace's eyes turned to look into hers… right into hers, and at that moment it was like he was searching her soul, glancing into the very essence of her being, like he could see every part of her and she stood fully clothed yet utterly naked before him.

"I'm sorry." She said in just a whisper.

His hand lifted and he trailed his finger gently across her cheek "you have no idea do you?" his eyes narrowed on her face and his expression turned bewildered, like he was wondering about some unsolved riddle and that riddle was her. "It's amazing how truly clueless you are."

"I'll try not to take that as an insult."

"You shouldn't."

"Ok, if you say so" she conceded and stepped back, out of arms reach "I think maybe we should head to the library." She said, although it seemed like the most anticlimactic sentence to ever leave her mouth considering what had just happened and the way she was feeling, not to mention the look in Jace's eyes: sadness, yearning, desire. It was all too much to bear and she was weak, though she loath to admit it.

Clary grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her to the library. His strong grip on her hand was so unlike anything she'd ever felt before. His hands were rough, but soft. Not at all the hands of a corporate associate, he had the hands of a hard worker. She felt good walking like this with him, could even picture herself doing so when the building was filled with people.

But, at the moment, everyone was thankfully gone and the lights in the hall had been dimmed, though a spare few had been turned off. The darkness left behind an eerie silence and shadows dancing in the corners where walls met.

Seeing the office building in this new light, or lack of light, was a novel experience to Clary. She'd never stayed this late and the comfort of Jace's hand in hers was the only thing stopping her from running out the door because, well, the place looked like a scene out of a horror movie and she felt like one of the poor bastards walking down the dark hallway while some masked slayer trailed behind them with a chainsaw waiting to decapitate its next victim.

At that thought she looked back and heard Jace chuckle.

"What are you looking back for?"

"Oh, you know, the usual…" she looked up at his smirking face "ghosts, monsters, masked serial killers."

Jace laughed and she wanted to laugh too, not because their current situation was funny, but because his laughter was so incredibly perfect, so contagious and heartwarming she wanted to join in. But instead Clary just felt a smile stretch across her lips when Jace's arm wrapped around her waist pulling her closer into his body. "Don't worry, I'll protect you from whatever monsters or murderers come at you."

"Is that a promise?" she asked

"Always."

Clary turned to look at him and she noticed there was something else in his gaze, some other unspoken promise, but they were already in the library and his eyes were too much for her so she looked away, pulling out of his arms while doing so and stepping into the dimly lit library.

Now the thing about this particular library is that nearly all the books are ancient. They've been sitting on these shelves since her grandfather founded the company nearly a century ago and more and more volumes have been added to the original collection of the corporation's records as the years passed and rules were updated. Making the once big collection huge and the seemingly simple task of looking through them all to find what you're looking for require a college degree and ample experience.

And now here she stood before shelf after shelf of books titled "The Economics of Money, Banking and Financial Markets Global Edition- volume I" trying to find a book that has what she needs… and she felt lost.

Clary let her head fall forward, hopelessness and despair taking over, yet, she also felt Jace's presence next to her, felt him move to stand before her as his finger lifted her face bringing their gazes into contact.

"Hey, don't you go giving up on me now." He said, the softness of his voice pushing away all the negative thoughts in her "I know it seems like a lot right now but we're not alone."

"Really, what did you do?" she asked rhetorically "hire a crew?"

Despite the bitterness in her voice, Jace smiled and answered anyway "no but we have each other and we still have a few months"

"I know, I just can't help it" she sighed "I keep on imagining myself walking down the aisle and actually marrying Raphael. It's creeping me out."

"That won't happen. I promise. Now let's get down to business, you can start looking through the books over there." Jace pointed to a shelf at the far right, stacked high with brown leather bound books "and I'll go over here." He aimed for the books to the left and they went their separate ways. In the meantime, Clary prayed with all her might that the horrid experience of looking through the dullest set of books would be as short-lived as possible.

000000000000-000000000000

He was watching her closely. Jace should've been looking through the shelves of economics and financial volumes but Clary proved to be far more interesting.

She was stretching her arms and standing on her tiptoes trying to reach one of the higher shelves, although said shelf was actually much closer to the ground than it seemed, and in doing so her blouse was rising slightly, showing small traces of pale skin. And he was entranced.

She was so beautiful. Her flaming red hair was beautiful, her green eyes were too and the curve of her behind, the cleavage of her blouse, the feminine sway of her hips… he was drowning in her, in everything about her, and the worst part was he wanted to punch Raphael and marry her instead.

It was a perfectly plausible option. There were no direct indications in the corporate rule book that banned any sort of marriage, no guidelines as to which people were most appropriate for the role of CEO, just orders that the CEO be wed. Which is understandable considering that a single chief executive loses credibility when running a family based corporation with no family to base it on.

Yet, he couldn't do that to Clary, take her out of one force fed marriage and bring her into yet another marriage when she was hardly twenty. And besides, he had bigger problems he'd have to face soon.

"Jace," she said, drawing his attention away from her body and back to the books before him as he pretended not to look at her. "I can feel you staring holes into my back you know."

"I wasn't trying to hide it." He had been, but she didn't need to know that.

Clary turned around and faced him "have you found anything?"

"No, although I think I saw something up on one of the higher shelves."

"Where?"

"just over your head…" he pointed at a random shelf just high enough so she'd have to tiptoe to reach it as she had earlier "that one!" and she reached to the random shelf with outstretched fingers as he watched her shirt climb mere centimeters up her back, giving him the slightest peek of dimples. His heart sped up.

"Which book Jace?" she looked over at him and he knew he had to stop being such a pervert but damn she was perfect, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

"Um, never mind, I read the title wrong."

"Don't do that!" she said

He blinked thinking he'd been caught perving on her, not that he would admit to it "do what?"

"Get my hopes up that way."

Shit, now he felt like an asshat and he had to walk up to her because he needed to make her feel better somehow, let her know that she wasn't alone, that he was here for her. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

He gently brushed his fingers over her cheek, the softness of her skin loosening something inside of him, breaking down a few walls, destroying a couple defenses he'd built—Clary coughed, bringing him out of his train of thought as he watched her move away from him.

"Yeah, well its fine, we'll find something eventually." She muttered as she moved to one of the stacks of books farther from him.

Jace understood that perhaps getting too close was a bad idea, there were no assurances that they'd find any kind of loophole, and he got that she was trying to keep her distance but if they didn't find a way out he wanted to know that above all things he had some time with her. So, he would _not_ let her push him away.

He moved closer and she stumbled a few more steps away. "Is there some sort of archive?" he asked

"What do you mean?"

"You know, some online catalog of books or one of those old card catalogues."

She smiled, her smile was beautiful, Jace wondered if she would be mad if he kissed her while her lips were upturned like that, it would be like kissing her happiness… he should just give it a shot, what could be the worst thing that could happen—but Clary was already speaking and he needed to stop staring at her and listen.

"Yes, there's an online catalogue but most of the older volumes aren't documented." She stopped for a second and seemed like she was thinking "come to think of it, a book with rules should be there. It seems like an important thing to locate."

"Ok, so how the hell can we check through this catalogue?"

"We can't." she said "the computers are all turned off."

Well, this has been a productive night, Jace thought, yet he couldn't seem to summon up the frustration like he knew he should. "Then, what do we do now?"

"I don't know." she turned to him with round, questioning eyes "what do you want to do?"

_Kiss you. Hold you. Other things… _was what he wanted to say, but knowing it wasn't going to happen he answered "I actually have to go take care of some business." She seemed disappointed when he said that and Jace had the unmistakable urge to smile.

"Oh, that's fine then. Do you have your car?"

"I'm good. I've got my bike."

"Well I guess this is goodnight then." She said "you can go ahead, I want to check up on a few files I've got sitting around."

Jace agreed and was about to turn and walk out when he knew there was something he just had to do.

He walked back to her and leaned down to her level. "Goodnight." He whispered and kissed her cheek, keeping his lips on the soft skin for a few seconds too long. But, what could he do about it when he could feel her warm breath blowing past his face and he just knew that as soon as he pulled away there would be a pink tint on her skin. Yet, he pulled back unwillingly as he heard her breath catch. If he died tonight at least he still had this memory to carry him on.

He looked down at her and smiled as he realized he was right, she was indeed blushing.

With that in mind he turned and nearly speed walked out of the library before he had a chance to place his kiss on her lips instead of on her cheek.

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><p>An: Ok, so it's the same as last time for the reviews. If you review I'll PM you a snippet of the next chapter but you must be signed in.

Till next time!


	13. Danger's Dance

It's been a long time since I've uploaded anything and I apologize for not keeping my promise, but life has been a roller-coaster since I started this story. Anyway, I have really enjoyed writing this chapter and will upload the next one soon.

p.s. ya'll are AWESOME! XO

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><p><strong>13. Danger's Dance<strong>

_My Worry, she sings about the stepping stones of chance_  
><em>I, Worry, will not be first to fall in danger's dance.<em>

_-…Ohmer_

The darkness of the empty halls Jace was walking through, the vacant stillness and eerie silence, were so much like his mood. Dark and vacant and silent.

He wanted to turn around and go back to Clary, but if he was in New York, there was only so much time he could pretend to be an average guy with an average job. It wouldn't be long before someone with a gun came pounding on his door and shot him… they would've done it years ago had he not disappeared. Jace could picture a couple worse scenarios, but he tried to block those out.

It was a way of life. But it wasn't one he wanted for himself, not anymore. Jace wanted a real life with a family who cared. He knew it was this desire and the ever present thought of green eyes and red hair that kept him going as he strode out of the building and straddled his motorcycle.

He'd ditched the suit and changed into a pair of jeans, some shirt he'd picked up off the floor this morning, boots and his leather jacket; he felt remarkably better knowing he wouldn't be walking into enemy lines dressed like a rich man, they'd definitely shoot him down then.

God, he had to stop thinking that. When he was still in the business they could tell when a man walked in expecting a shot to the gut, they had been able to smell the fear wafting off them like the scent of rotting death, and then they'd try to make it happen. He had to block the fear because now he had something to come home to.

Yet, not even thoughts of Clary could solve his issues. Not the steady thrumming of the bike beneath him or the long expanse of road ahead.

And now on his bike, the speed he kept was eating up that road and Jace knew he was going too fast, he knew that doing eighty miles an hour on a sixty mph highway had to be an idiotic thing to do. Not the most idiotic thing he'd done however. That would be joining a gang when he was barely old enough to have a license. That was pretty f*cked up. But hey, hindsight is twenty-twenty and the IQ of a teenage boy is about the same.

He brushed those thoughts aside as the road began to slope upwards and trees surrounded him. He was getting closer to the gazebo where he'd taken Clary that day and pretty soon, he had it in sight. It was a beautiful picture indeed, but past the trees that crowded around it laid a deadly group of men capable of doing just about anything if it meant getting what they wanted. He'd been part of them a long time ago.

Jace stopped the motorcycle and parked it among the fallen branches making sure it was hidden in the foliage. The last thing he needed was for the gang to discover he was in their territory.

Once he had stashed the bike, Jace walked to an old sycamore tree and, poking around on its trunk he found just what he was looking for.

Years ago, when he'd first joined the gang as a rebellious teenage boy, he'd been put up in guard duty standing most night by that very tree and guarding the main headquarters of New York's most dangerous group. Back then he'd felt honored, privileged even, to get that chance. Yet, now he knew he'd been put there because his chances of surviving any attack were slim, but he had and pretty soon he was working side by side with Valentine, the gang's leader. It was during those days he'd hidden several weapons in a small crevice of a tree in case he ever needed them. Now, as he rummaged through that very place, he found his gun and a dagger, both covered in moss and brown crinkly leaves.

Yeah, he was ready now. Hell, he could have taken them on without the damn gun but fist and bullets didn't go well against each other.

There was a crack a few feet away from where he stood against the wood of the tree and Jace immediately pressed himself against the tree trunk. He slid behind it using some fallen branches to cover himself, expecting a man like the ones he knew they kept posted along the doors of the main building, tall with an overabundance of muscle. Instead, a boy, no older than 16 or 17 stepped out.

The kid seemed cocky enough to not have lasted very long had Jace been someone who really wanted to kill, he wasn't even paying attention to his surroundings. So with Jace's usual silence he stepped out from behind the tree and walked silently up to the kid grabbing him around his neck and pushing him against the tree.

The boy gasped, kicking and thrashing while flailing his arms wildly in a desperate attempt to strike something. Needless to say he failed and Jace, looking him in the eyes said "don't fight. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to." He was shocked by his own voice. The menace, the threat in it sounded foreign to him. A voice not his own.

The kid shuddered and stopped moving, sighing in defeat. Jace felt his lips curve into a victorious smile before he pressed his finger into the sensitive place where your neck and collarbone meet. Instantly, the boy's thin arms fell limp to his sides, his neck lolled to his shoulder and, when Jace released him, he fell to the floor in a heap of skinny arms and legs.

He really didn't want to have to hurt anyone. Seeing the limp body on the wet muddy ground brought back some unpleasant memories he'd been trying to forget for years. He remembered some of the things he'd done, people he'd seen—the faces had faded into darkness, but the red in each memory stood out like a beacon. The blood he'd shed would remain in his memory forever.

There was another rustling from the trees around him and Jace quickly stashed the weapons in his belt and jogged silently through the thicket of trees. Branches swishing against his face pissed him off a bit but the adrenaline was addicting, it was the one thing he'd missed about this… field of work? Career?

He didn't even know what to call it. Being in a gang sure wasn't a career. You had to study something for that and the only thing he'd ever studied were the benefits of stabbing in the heart as opposed to stabbing in the neck. (He always thought the former was quicker than the latter.)

His mind was drawn out of that memory now as a shot rang through the air, the sound slicing the silence of the night and the steady thrum of his heart in his ears. Thankfully, there was no pain, no blood and he was still running towards a tiny beacon of light that flowed in through the trees becoming increasingly closer with every step he took. Soon, he was looking at the small abandoned warehouse placed just to the side of the clearing. It was surrounded by broken branches, fallen shingles and a few empty crates, but these weren't the most predominant features of the place. Beside every window and door stood two men, no weapons were in their hands, but Jace knew better than to think they were unarmed, and upon closer inspection he saw the guns and knives strapped to their belts.

There was no way in. not unless he wanted to make it in alive—which he did—and despite being capable to take on a few of those men on his own, he didn't have super powers and could not win against them all.

As he analyzed the landscape and tallied his chances of success, Jace failed to notice the dark figure slowly approaching until pain blossomed on the crown of his head and darkness slowly crept into the edges of his vision turning the world black.

The stabbing pain in his head was the first thing Jace felt as his eyes attempted to open, yet they felt heavy, as if they'd been super-glued together. Despite the fierce intensity of said pain, it was also familiar. Not the pleasant, homey familiar, more like the kind of familiarity fallen angels must feel when they walk into hell.

The deep, monotone voice coming from somewhere, he didn't know where since his eyelids still refused to part, was the key in deciphering that, like the fallen angels, he was also in hell.

"It's nice to have you back, son" Valentine's voice said. Valentine, the leader of the greatest gang in New York City, had been more a father to him than his own ever had; albeit, a cruel abusive father, but a father nonetheless.

"It's not nice to _be_ back." Jace sneered, as his eyes finally opened and he was able to see where he was. The room was brightly lit by several bare light bulbs on the roof, and the walls were plain grey cement, no wallpaper or plaster here. As for himself: well, he was tied to a chair. His hands and legs were tightly bonded to the metal of the seat and his wrists were burning. The rope holding them together was sharp and unforgiving; although he tried to loosen the knot his efforts only earned him greater pain as the unattached strands punctured his skin.

"I'm pleased to see you haven't changed Jonathan." Valentine grinned, not seeming very pleased at all.

"I've changed, more than you can ever imagine."

Valentine's grin widened, appearing more sinister as Jace stared into the dark eyes he knew so well. "No son, I don't think you've changed at all. You knocked out two of my men without pulling out your gun."

"One of those _men _was nothing but a boy and you'd placed him there to die."

"You were there once too. As a matter of fact, you did away with more intruders than anyone before or after you." The feral grin softened as valentine remembered the blood Jace had shed. "You were the best here."

"I was a murderer!" Jace snarled.

Valentine's chuckle reverberated throughout the dank warehouse. "A mighty fine murderer!"

"You f***ing asshole!"

Valentine's hand came at Jace's face before he could even consider the repercussions of his words. "Remember what I told you when you were young?"

Jace didn't speak, the force of the punch still echoing though his head.

"I said to watch the sh*t that came out of your mouth."

"F**k you."

"You always were too proud to recognize when you had lost"

"We just got here, valentine." Jace said. "I don't think I've lost just yet."

"We'll see about that" he grinned fiercely, raising his arm and sending a harsh blow to Jace's head before he had time to form another witty argument.

* * *

><p>His head hurt worse than before. The first time it had hurt this bad was fuzzy in his mind, but he knew it was sometime earlier in the day. But then again, everything was fuzzy and Jace was so sure he was dreaming. He saw green eyes, freckles upon pretty flushed cheeks, lips that could have belonged to only one person. There were flames in her hair, bright red flames. But then again, maybe the flames <em>were<em> her hair. He couldn't be sure. His head hurt so much.

"Jace, damn it, wake up! They're about to come back!"

The voice was familiar, but he didn't want that voice, he wanted the girl with the flaming hair. Where was she?

"Jace, snap out of it!"

His eyes cracked open, the world was spinning but he recognized Eric among the blur of convoluted colors.

"You need to leave." Eric stage whispered.

His mind came back to him as he tried to push past the pain into consciousness. He was in the warehouse of the gang he'd been a part of and his hands were freed, he wasn't tied to the chair anymore. He looked at Eric as he was pushed out of the chair and towards the door and out into the open air.

The cool night breeze smacked him square in the face and Jace could finally think clearly. He looked back at the door but Eric was gone. His head whipped towards a dark corner of the warehouse, towards a large stack of old piled crates, voices drifted to him but he didn't wait to see who it was before he started running towards the shadowy darkness of the forest beyond and towards his bike.

* * *

><p>Clary lay wide awake in bed, looking sporadically at the clock until she had convinced herself that time had stopped and she was alone in the universe. She was tired, sure, but constant thoughts of Jace kept bombarding her, he hadn't returned yet, and she was embarrassed to admit to herself that she had waited to hear him go into his room.<p>

After hours of waiting, her roof was beginning to look a bit dull and she'd run out of sheep to count, she was now starting to worry. Clary turned to look at the clock again, big red numbers flashed in her face: 4:00am, and still no Jace. From the moment he had left the office that night she had been unable to stop thinking of him.

Clary had stayed in that dark library for another hour and all she'd found were a bunch of old newspapers documenting the decline in stocks between the years 1920 and 1937. She had searched through volumes of information; numbers, meaningless words and charts began blurring together, around that time she had realized she wasn't fully conscious and had driven home in a near haze.

A loud thump in the hallway startled her out of her thoughts, it was silent for a brief moment and then another thump sounded closer to her room. A soft moan came next and by then Clary was debating whether it was best to check outside or to remain inside.

The next thump, louder and closer still, made the decision for her. Grabbing a candle holder she tiptoed to the door and opened it just enough to peek outside. What she saw was more shocking than if there had really been a thief at her doorstep.

Jace stood, barely, battered and bruised with his had pressed against the door to his bedroom as if he were building up the strength to force it open. His usually beautiful golden hair hung in clumps over his eyes, the curls partly covered in red—blood; Clary knew almost immediately it was blood, although the most blood she had ever seen was during a trip to the park when she was sixteen and had scraped her knee. But that was nothing in comparison to all the bruises lining Jace's face, and Clary deduced that there had to be more when he drew in a shallow breath.

Jace looked up, his eyes barely focusing on her, there was a cut over his eyebrow, red spilling over his lashes and cheeks like tears, and Clary had no idea what to think or do. She stood staring at him through the darkness of the halls and the dim light being cast by her candle. The shadows it cast over his face made his skin appear cold, pale; the sweat glittering on his forehead and biceps. "Holy crap." She muttered, useless as the phrase was, it seemed the most appropriate thing to say.

Jace's lips lifted slightly at the corners. "Sorry I'm late."

"What the hell, Jace?" she gasped, blowing out the candle and putting it aside, immediately moving to where he stood and placing her body against his. She was too small to sustain all his weight but she was able to carry him to her door.

"I'm fine. I swear it's not as bad as it looks" He winced as she tried to pull him through the threshold which wasn't wide enough for both of them.

Clary gave him a sharp look and reached for the light switch.

It was clearly just as bad as it looked. He could barely keep himself standing, every time he tried to breathe the effort would make him cringe and the subsequent cringe looked more painful than the breathing.

"We need to take you to the hospital." She said, as she set Jace down on her bed, small spots of blood dripped onto her pastel sheets from his hair.

"No, trust me I don't need to go to the hospital; I've had much worse than this."

"Unless you were in WWE, I doubt you could've had worse." Clary looked him over as she stood before her bed "this looks pretty bad Jace."

"Let's just say I was a bit wild as a kid." He smirked and stood momentarily to pull his shirt over his head.

"Whoa, whoa!" she moved away in a flash, instinctively covering her eyes although she really, really wanted to see what was hiding beneath that shirt. Sure, she'd seen it a couple times, but she could never get tired of seeing Jace shirtless. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What do _you_ think I'm doing?"

Clary peeked hoping he didn't really expect an answer from her.

"I'm getting ready for bed." He said.

"Your room is next door."

"Yes, but yours looks much more inviting than mine." Clary looked around her room, at her grand beige poster-board bed, at the fireplace and at the big cream colored sofa that sat in the corner of the room. She knew his room looked very similar.

"Your room looks almost identical to mine." She argued, placing her hand on her waist and standing as if she were in control of the situation, but Jace's shirt was now strewn on her floor and he was reaching for the belt on his pants. She caught sight of the swirls of black ink over his bicep and where they branched out onto his chest and partially lost track of her breathing.

"But you're not in it." He didn't look at her, not really expecting an answer, as if this were just a simple statement of fact, which it was not, simple, that is.

He continued taking off his clothes, piece by piece: shoes, socks, and then his pants. Throughout his stripping Clary's hands had fallen to her sides off their own accord and she stood awash with heat and enraptured staring at him as the clothes came off, but right when he reached for his pants she chickened out and brought her hands up to her eyes, not daring to look anymore for fear she might maul him.

He laughed softly "you can look now."

"Are you sure? You're not naked or anything are you?"

"No Clary, I promise"

She peeked and saw he had lain in _her_ bed and was covered with _her _duvet. "I don't remember asking you to stay" not that she was asking him to leave either.

"Considering you had to help me into your room, I doubt I could make it into my bed right this instant."

Clary nodded wordlessly and stepped slowly towards her side staring at her feet all along hoping they wouldn't snag on something and she'd be sent flying through the air. Despite this, she could feel Jace's eyes on her. He took up half her bed, and yet he still seemed like he'd been made to lie there every night. Though perhaps it wasn't the bed he'd been made for, but _her_ bed. Her.

She looked at him finally, as she sat on the corner and kicked off her slippers. He was serious. No grin or smirk or low chuckle. Just him and her alone. Although his gaze told her there was something she didn't know, something big, she pretended everything was perfect and laid in his arms as he held her close.

Yet, when her eyes drifted shut and darkness settled she knew their problems were just beginning.

* * *

><p>So, that's all, hope ya'll enjoyed it! Review if you have any comments or any way I can improve this story.<p>

Thanks again for reading!


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